Bloody Roar III: Sanguine Promise
by Tiger5913
Summary: Uploaded, final chapter: Leave: Kenji realizes his true feelings for Uriko and they tie up loose ends before finally returning home. [Main pairing: Keniko, Kenji x Uriko]
1. Dream

2/5/02

Disclaimer: the characters in this fic such as Uriko, Kenji, etc. belong to Hudson Soft; I don't own them though I wish I did! *waggles eyebrows mysteriously* Gee, what I could do to them… *eyes glaze over*

Dedication: God, my parents, my 'brothers', Hudson for creating Bloody Roar I-IV and giving me a really good reason to write this story, and my readers, especially Nonamura-chan, LazzyQ, Alica Tylon, Psycho Guyver, AKA, Arashi, Felicia, The Raptor Chic, Alexandra Riot, RAYClovis, Edible, Natasha, Expert Predator, Me (not "me" as in Tiger5913; the reviewer), ghost, Flyby, Niteflite, and you wonderful readers!!

Synopsis - Dreams… They're nothing but scenarios created by the dreamer's imagination, and are not at all odious omens foreshadowing the future… right? Can you control your fate? (Kenji/Uriko; the beginning of a new mini-series)

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Bloody Roar III: Sanguine Promise

By Tiger5913

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Dream - Tears

_…This again…_

Pictures… images… brief shots flashed before the pair of bewildered eyes in a row of blurred mysteries, as they whizzed by too quickly for the watcher to grasp a single one and focus on it. Suspended in empty air like a puppet on invisible strings, the figure could only blink in confusion as small inklings of events flickered into comfortable view. A flash of pale blue-white passed by… sparkling, colorful glitter… formal black attire… a cobalt-rose encircling a slender wrist… bright lights glimmering, dancing upon shadowy walls…

Fading into nothingness, the next scene was selected; as it was still fuzzy, the dreamer struggled to see, then raised both eyebrows in shock at the new shady sight.

Agile fingers gliding through thin strands of dark hair, two mouths intimately melding together, hungry lips devouring each other and eagerly probing, exploring, tasting foreign territory. A set of hands flung away white material, then slid down the curve of a backside, slipping past the elastic barrier to grip more yielding, softer skin. Noises flowed into the air, from quiet giggles to low moans, not to mention the hiss of pleasure that followed every groan of contentment. Hushed words played into one ear and out the other, while the shadowy couple backed up simultaneously, lying down together to soon join in a union of ecstasy…

Feeling embarrassed at watching them, the teenager backed away from the scenario, only to bump into another form, and turned around to confront a person hidden by ebony garbs, the only piece of clothing identifiable being the raven-black trench coat.

_"You know you want it…"_ came the husky, smirking voice that caressed the viewer's cheek, making him shiver albeit. _"Just friends… Of course… All friends love each other and want to **sleep** together…"_

"N-no… I…" he bit his lip until he drew blood. "I-I respect her! We're… nothing more… than school acquaintances, and…"

_"Fool." _The silent speaker mocked. _"She'll never love you… You're worth nothing… You are nothing…"_

The words sank despair into his heart; what he feared being said aloud as so hurt more than he would have ever imagined, and his expression twisted into a pained look. A hoarse shout exploded from him as he launched himself foreword, his outstretched hands reaching to enclose around the bastard's throat and choke the worthless life out. But of course, the figure easily evaded his attempt, vanishing into thin air… and as he stopped, glancing about the place in search, the mysterious stranger appeared behind him, cackling evilly.

_"Too easy."_ A scornful giggle. _"Your precious 'friend' should find you to be nothing more than mere amusement… Give up… You will die alone… with pity, remorse, self-regret for company…"_

"Shut up!!" He screamed, trying not to give into the seductive abyss as he lurched down to his knees, clutching his head, shaking it in denial. "Y-You're wrong!!"

_"Give in, boy…"_ The voice hissed at him when he squeezed his eyes shut tightly and plugged his ears, but then the words spoke into his **mind**; _"You can't win…"_

*****

"Auuuuurgh!!"

The teenager awoke to a sharp ripping sound that made itself known into his hearing senses. Springing straight up into a sitting position, his view was met with darkness, and for a moment, he thought that he was still trapped in the nightmare. But a quick glance at the digital clock blinking at him from the top of his bureau told him that he was back in reality - although perhaps it wasn't much better or worse than being in the dream world. At least everything there was fiction; reality meant that he had to deal with situations he couldn't just skip by waking up and continuing on with his everyday normal life.

Looking down, he realized that he had torn his bed sheet, and he sighed, flinging it away, watching it drift ghostly to the floor. He scowled at the memory of the taunting enigma, the pain that sliced deeply through his consciousness, pushing him to the edge, trying to break him. "I don't love her," he spoke aloud, sounding not all too convincing. "Friends are friends. We're nothing more than that."

Grunting at the words, he descended back onto the mattress, griping his pillow with clenched fists, closing his eyes as the knowing whisper flowed by his ear, chuckling. _"Liar…"_

****

Dream II - Bloodshed

His long, firm fingers slowly trickled through the silky strands of her hair, while the taste of his enticing kiss sent a shrill tingle curving down her spine. Leaning back a little, she met his gaze, feeling intoxicated by his touch, dizzy with the musky scent of need as she sought to ask him something, but he quickly covered her lips with his. One questing hand slid to her neck, teasing her sensitive skin, the pad of his thumb settling upon the spot where her pulse throbbed. Her mouth opened slightly to let a soft moan slip out as she closed her eyes, easily succumbing to the white-hot sensations that were pushing away her conscious thoughts.

_Is this for real…?_ Her half-aware mind questioned silently, asking what she couldn't inquire of him earlier.

His embraces turned a bit more demanding, as the tips of his fingers dug into her side of her throat albeit while he stole her breath and left her dazed and numb. Breaking the kiss, his lips scoured seekingly over her quivering flesh, his hands busying themselves by proceeding to the buttons enclosing the folds of her sleepwear top together. His wet tongue insistently prodded her lips apart to slick inside; tasting her moist sweetness, he lightly led their bodies in a simultaneous sway with the cool brush of the night breeze.

Her chest constricting with pent-up emotion, she grew acutely aware of the wind's silent howl swirling around them, the way his warmness chased away the cold chill that seeped deep within her. Lazily allowing her eyes to open, she sought to glance upon his face, to stare into the passion-hungry pupils of his that matched her own, but all she could see was darkness, blurry black shadows that engulfed her vision. She blinked to try and clear the misty mucus away, then attempted to raise her arms so that she could rub her eyes, yet his vise-like grip held her tightly, as though fearing she would leave if he let her go.

"A white nightie…" he whispered seductively against her mouth, tugging gently on the bottom of her ivory-colored shirt, "Don't you look like such a heaven-sent, exotic angel… But." His fingers skillfully unfastened the first two buttons before she could even come close to realizing what he had just done; "You wouldn't be angelic, completely, now, would you? I would be crushed with disappointment…"

"Ohh…" she gasped when he began to lightly nip at her neck, tickling her sensitive flesh, "I-I…"

"Alluring goddess…" he drawled amorously, "_Sexy _temptress…"

_Ooh… this is getting… kinda out of hand…_ An inward voice protested, yet she made no move to step back from her enigmatic partner. _Wh-who…?_ But even as she wordlessly questioned that, she knew the answer, as well as the obvious fact that he wasn't acting like his usual self.

Lifting up a hand, she placed it on his chest, surprised at the direct-skin contact she felt, feeling his battle-hardened muscles ripple under her palm. A slow, knowing smile graced its way over his lips at her action, but instead of giving into his embraces like she wanted to, the female started to push him away, somehow sensing that their situation wasn't… right. A look of anger quickly replaced his former expression; scorned by her rejection, he became more intimidating as his arms elevated up to head-level, and he showed a clenched fist…

All of a sudden, her view was blocked for a few moments, and when she regained sight, she was floating high above the ground, with treetops as her neighbors. After releasing a shocked gasp at her heightened position, she glanced down to see a figure standing in the middle of a pincer attack by two other bystanders, both poised and seemingly read to strike, the moonlight reflecting silver off the blade of a knife in one attacker's grasp. She merely blinked in confusion, and when her eyes slid back open in the next instant, saw the unidentifiable duo bodies lying on the ground, presumably knocked unconscious and hopefully not dead, although she spied dark liquid plastered upon the cheeks and forehead of their faces. There was no sign of the supposed "victim" that had been caught in the center of the pincer formation.

Suppressing the squeamish lurch that hit her stomach, the girl forced herself to look away, turning her head to the side only to suddenly stare into a pair of devil-black, fathomless eyes that watched her intensely. A shrill cry broke free from her lips and she whirled around to dart off in the opposite direction, but a hard grip latched onto her wrist and held her in check, making her unwillingly retract with a yelp of surprise. An arm encircled her waist from behind in an imprisoning manner, while she felt body-length warmth align her form along her rear side. As she was about to scream, a wet hand slapped over her mouth, preventing the loud shriek from escaping. A salty scent from the coarse palm teased her nose senses, and strangely, the need to gag from the mysterious smell made itself clear to her.

Just then, a throaty voice whispered to her tauntingly, barely audible in spite of her sensitive hearing, "It's your fault they're dead. Those poor, poor, innocents." She moaned and shook her head, trying to deny the harsh, cruel words that were being struck into her. "Reckless and foolish street punks, but even they didn't deserve meeting an end brought to them with such malice, such violence and bloodlust. But if you hadn't teased me so, then pushed me away, maybe their lives could have been spared…"

A protesting wail was on the tip of her tongue, but the growing-sharp tips that pressed into the small of her back banished her train of thought. "So convenient, possessing weapons of this sort at your expense anytime you need them." Icy lips snaked past her ear and brushed across her cheekbone, coupled with a low chuckle that made her want to shiver and shrink back, but of course, any such action was prevented. "How does it feel, to have blood coated your mouth, to taste the lost lives that you caused of your unlucky, randomly chosen victims? Do you crave more? Want to play around with more people, end their worthless existences, just so you can satisfy your own needs?" 

The teenager gasped for breath; feeling suffocated by the relentless attack, she struggled against the hold imprisoning her, she twisted and turned, writhing in agony, yet the hold did not budge. "Yes, you do, don't you. Sweet seductress… don't feign the thought. Your intentions are transparent, easy to read. You caused this bloodshed."

Realizing what the thick liquid that wetted her lips was, she groaned in disgust, wanting to hurl, and the hypnotic, persuasive speaker merely continued, not depriving her of the verbal assault. The next words made her double over: _"And you liked it, the same way you loved seeing blood stain your fingers, you killer… Killer… Just like me…"_

"Stop…" she moaned feebly, refusing to accept her fate, squeezing her eyes shut tightly and trying to block out the convincing voice from poisoning her mind. "Stop it; that's… not… true…!"

A telltale snicker in response. "…You are a bad liar."

Then the deathly sharp blades shoved into her heart.  


*****  


"Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!"

"NO!!!" Burst free from her lips as the teenager lurched up, practically leaping into the air, her skimpy nightwear drenched in anxiety's sweat. Weak morning sunlight peeked into her vicinity through the tiny cracks in between the blinds covering her windows, casting thin lines along her bed sheet. The persistent alarm clock kept sounding, until the female gathered her nerves together, nervously wrapping a lock of her long brown hair around her fingers, reaching out her other hand over to the nightstand nearby and shutting off the agitating beeping noise. Heaving raspy breaths and shaking her head free of the dark clouds that tried to overtake her consciousness, she closed her eyes for a moment, slowing down her rapid and frantic heartbeat.  


"God…" she hissed aloud, clenching a fist of her blanket in pseudo-comfort. "That… that nightmare again…"

The girl waited a couple of minutes before moving out of her bed, making a run for the bathroom, doing the same thing she'd done in the past few mornings. She lifted her nightshirt, and glanced at her chest and abdomen, always expecting to see the scar of puncture wounds piercing her un-blemished flesh, yet she never saw any such implications. Confused, the teenager frowned, then ran her hand over her doe-like skin, not detecting any strange bumps or creases, although she thought that strange. The dark dreams had all been so real…

Sighing in relief, and in partial disdain of herself, she released her grasp and retrieved for her toothbrush to start the day; _Just one more month until summer vacation…_


	2. Fight

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Fight

_Slam!_

The noise repeated down the echoing hallway as numerous students slammed their locker doors closed, chatting noisily with other peers and rushing to dart off the campus, as it was the end of the current school day. Flinching at the loud noises occurring around simultaneously, the brown-haired student retrieved a couple textbooks out of her own locker, then slammed the door shut, in unspoken revolt toward her other peers' actions. Smoothing out a wrinkle on her pale blue sweatshirt, she ran a hand absentmindedly through her hair, patting down her bouncy tress.

"Geez," a feminine voice commented from behind her, "Can't you close it just a little bit softer?"

She smirked slightly, her back facing the speaker as she replied, "When everyone else starts doing that themselves, I'll follow suit. But until then…" Turning, she met the grinning face of her best friend. "Hey, Erika."

"What's up, girl?" The sixteen-year-old junior gave her companion a quick hug, then exclaimed, "T.G.I.F.! This week felt like it lasted forever, you know!"

"I agree, glad it's finally over."

"Ooh, oh! Hey, did you hear about the weekend bash?" The two started walking, heading for one of the many double door exits, their schoolbooks tucked snuggly into their arms, neither of them making a move for their backpacks, as to not stop the conversation. Bright sunlight bathed the girls' bared skin in warmth, chatter and discussion floated about their surroundings, and fellow teenagers bustling around the quad looked foreword to their weekend, their two days of freedom from school.

"Weekend bash? You mean the party at that new guy, Cronos Dakinasha's house?"

"House? More like a mansion!" Erika Daweson shut one eye closed in thought. "Well, maybe not _exactly_ as big as a mansion, but definitely too small to call a regular house!"

"He's kinda wealthy, isn't he?" Her friend remarked, her tone sounding albeit dry at the subject topic; she paused to push a door open and step outside, then waited for her companion to follow.

The other female nodded in confirmation. "Have you gone to any of his parties yet? My cousin goes to the school that he came from, and she told me that talk in the hallways say there's always a lot of people that go."

Her acquaintance rolled her eyes, obviously unimpressed. "Figures. The one this weekend, are you going?"

"Hmm, I don't know… For once, old Dalby's giving me a day off," Erika stuck her tongue out at the mention of her strict boss, "I guess I should go. I mean, just to check it out, and see what goes on." 

"He just transferred here a couple weeks ago, right?" The auburn-haired student stated, frowning for some reason. "And he's already thrown about, three parties? You can tell he certainly isn't socially challenged the least bit."

"Yeah, no kidding! He's not anti-social, like Ken-" Her friend raised an eyebrow. "Uh, I mean, he isn't anti-social!"

"He's not anti-social," the teenage girl defended. "Just because he isn't as wild or perverted as some of the other dumb jocks here…"

"Okay, sorry, I didn't mean to say that, really," Erika raised her hands up in surrender. "But hey, speaking of him, is he chauffeuring you today again? You gonna get a ride home from him? His car is so cute - a little dark blue convertible, and you said that the only time he ever puts the top on, is when it rains, right?"

"Right." A smile graced the speaker's lips. "He's worked for God-knows-how-long to buy that car, and he's really proud of it. I remember the first day he got his permit, he broke the rules, and took me out for a ride." Her eyes twinkled in joy at the memory. "And he just got his license a few weeks ago, and he doesn't seem to mind picking me up in the morning and sending me to school, then giving me a ride home after."

"Oooooh!" Her best friend giggled, then winked slyly. "_Someone_'s got a little crush on her 'best guy friend'!"

"Oh, Erika! I do not!" She shook her head in denial, allowing the long bangs of her dark hair to thankfully fall over her face, hiding the light blush that was creeping up her cheeks. "We've been friends for like, two years! Why would that change now?"

The pair was nearing the school's parking lot. "Okay then, if you won't admit that you like him, tell me that you'd refuse if he asked you out, or wanted to take you to the prom next week, or offered you his bod-"

"Er-ika!!"

"Come on now, girl! You know half the female population here would jump him if they had the chance! And what's more precious and sweet is a guy who's a _virgin_, since there's barely any of those left around, with what couples do together these days." She sighed pitifully. "Damn, whatever happened to the old-fashioned days where everyone was supposed to wait until marriage to do **that**?"

Her companion was glad when the other female started rambling on about how fast practically every student at school was on a first date, and how she herself would wait faithfully for her "right one". The brown-haired teenager tried to pay attention, but her thoughts kept shifting in another direction, her mind subconsciously conjuring up pictures of her closest male friend. His expression when she gave him a hug for the first time a couple years ago; when he was dared to French-kiss her at a party thrown by their friends. The time when she begged and pleaded for him to go to Sadie's Hawkins dance with her at their school and he finally relented and had gone with her.

He had also comforted and soothed her during the times of troubles concerning her _other_ friends… Starless black nights had left her feeling desolate and slightly melancholic, as she pondered and strained herself wondering why such ugly events had to challenge her zoanthrope compatriots. Zoanthrope hatred in her community… all of it was the main prejudicism surrounding her location, tasteless retorts and harsh 'joking' at school. Just because they were different, they were judged based on stereotypes before their personalities were even put to the test. And various anti-human attacks by certain intolerant zoanthropes didn't help the fear factor either, just caused more talk and biased-ness.

She remembered sobbing to her friend once, back when they were both around fifteen, and the business with the beast crest signs and Tabula had just been resolved: _"Why are some people like this? So… so cruel! So heartless! I mean, this prejudicism really gets outta hand sometimes, you know!"_

_"I… I know." He'd said solemnly. "In a way, this is like our reputation in school: if you didn't act one way, nor do certain things like everyone else, you are considered a 'loser', or 'anti-social'. Not 'going with the flow'." His use of loose slang terms had made her giggle, as he usually spoke more formally, sounding mature and older than his age. "But… we have to get through this. Like racism occurred over in the United States a while back, that disease had to take a long time to dissolve and the people slowly began to accept others that were racially different. Same with our dilemma now; humans have to take a long time to accept us, and learn not to fear all zoanthropes just because of judicial stereotypes."_

Her best friend… young like her yet was so much wiser. Where had he learned to be like that? When did he turn philosophical? Granted, he didn't have a clue when it came to teenage-related problems, such as difficulty with schoolwork, mentions of drugs, dating, and sex - although he excelled in his biology course his freshman year. She figured that he had to be familiar with all the parts of the human body, male and female alike, including certain… _pleasure_ points. That factor of his extended knowledge secretly appealed to the teenage girl, as she wondered if he would ever put that knowledge to use in the field, but she would never reveal her curiosity to anyone, of course. 

"Oh, man, look!" Erika cried out all of a sudden, grabbing a hold of her schoolmate's shoulder while jabbing her in the sides and gesturing her head in the direction of a ring of scholars crowded around a spot in the parking lot. "What do you think's going on over _there_?"

The other female winced and took a few steps away, rubbing her sore skin. "Dunno, a rave, maybe? Breakdancing? You know what happens sometimes out here."

However, a loud shout followed by angry curses quickly dismissed that possibility - the two friends looked at each other, and said at the same time, "A fight!" Together, the girls simultaneously started running toward the crowd, trying to peek through the small slits in-between snug elbows and hips, shoulders and backpacks, all the while listening to the chitchat spreading throughout the rabble of students.

"Daki! C'mon, cream the weirdo!" A guy nearby yelled vulgarly, pumping his fist into the air.

"Daki?" Erika whispered to her companion in question, who in turned shrugged.

"No way!" A female voice responded. "Kenji-kun, beat that snob up!!"

The auburn-haired teenager blinked in shock. "What? Did she just say Kenji?!"

"Quit prancing around, you cowardly mouse!" A thickly British-accented person from the center of everyone's attention spoke up. "Your charm is as attractive as the way you dance, Ohgami!"

"Can it, you egotistical, overreacting pompous!" was the un-intimidated comeback.

"Hey-!!" The girl shrieked, her light brown eyes widening in surprise as she strained to take a closer look at the two fighters dueling each other. Growling when her five-foot and six-inched height didn't serve her much help, she backed up, then ran foreword and leaped up into the air, over the heads of the spectators, landing inside the premises of the 'ring', receiving a few gasps of awe at her action. Short clapping followed suit, but she modestly waved the attention off, and glanced at the brawlers, releasing a snort of shock as she identified both of them. "Cronos? Kenji??"

One boy, slim with a medium stature and a head of pale jade hair - certainly not an unusual shade of color with the varieties at their school, straightened up from stiff battle pose, and turned to look at the speaker. His foreign tan-yellow attire gleamed sunlight into her eyes, and she flinched albeit, while a smile smoothly formed over his lips and he greeted, "Milady!" A few guys in the crowd laughed good-naturedly at his formal word usage.

_Uh huh._ "Um, hi Cronos." The girl replied absentmindedly, giving him a brief smile in return, then rushed over to her friend. "Kenji, what's going on? Are you guys fighting?"

The tousled cobalt-haired teenager kept his gaze trained on his opponent, his fists clenched tightly as a challenging glint ignited in his light brown irises. Tall and lean, his short bangs grazed his forehead as he slipped his backpack off of his shoulders and handed it to the female, explaining, "He overreacted over a tiny, unworthy matter."

"And what 'tiny, unworthy matter' would that be?"

"Peasant punk," Cronos Dakinasha snapped, glaring at him. "Scratched my priceless Mercedes Benz with his foolish clumsiness! I would hardly dare call that a 'tiny, unworthy matter'."

Unease flickered briefly in the auburn-haired student's pupils. She knew that the new guy wouldn't stand a chance if he angered and provoked her friend enough to the point where he would forget that his skills were superior, and start using his inhumane skills to his advantage. At least his temper wasn't like his older brother's, but still. Though at sixteen, he was the younger of the two fighters, his uncanny attack speed and tricky evade techniques were heightened due to his years of training in the fighting style of Ninjutsu. Not to mention he was also a zoanthrope, like her. She knew that the battle had to stop if she didn't want to see the poor, unfortunate victim to be sent off to the hospital if they fought more intensely.

Crossing her hands in a "T" motion to signal a Timeout, she stepped in-between the pair, looking at both boys as she began to speak, "OK, guys-"

The newcomer scowled. "Must you involve outside innocents in our dispute, Ohgami? Can you not fight your own battles instead of wailing like a newborn babe to your fellow chums, and make them fight for you, you poor, weak, coward."

The small fire hovering in the back of Kenji Ohgami's eyes suddenly flared up, portraying his steadily growing ire, and his low, silky voice brought even more fear to his female companion; "Don't _ever_ call me a coward."

"Guys!!" The girl protested, but it was too late, as Cronos began to laugh heedlessly, "Why not? You are a coward. You best know your place before you do something that makes someone come and smash your precious little china doll face to pieces, yes?"

"......" The sixteen-year-old released heavy, barely restrained breaths as he glared daggers at his opponent, seemingly piercing holes directly through his body. His deadly look made the commotion in the crowd die down, and his best friend set his backpack on the ground, going over to him and tentatively place her hand on his forearm, "Kenji-"

"Stay back!" He commanded her, stepping in front of her and shifting into his fighting pose, smoothly flipping backwards - the spectators clapped - and gripping his fists in a stiff pose before his face. "Come on, Cronos. Let's see if you're just all talk."

The other dueler smirked confidently and beckoned him over with a taunting wave. "You wouldn't dare, coward."

"I told you…"

Kenji let his sentence trail off as he darted foreword and descended, striking at his opponent's ankles, sliding underneath him when he skid up a few feet into the air. Cronos flailed unrestrained, but quickly recovered and back-flipped, landing onto the ninja harshly, purposely stomping on his shoulder blades before bouncing off and settling to the ground. The mole zoanthrope briefly rubbed his shoulders, then his expression hardened and he ran sideways, jumping into the air, seeming to walk on empty space, and flipped foreword, twisting his leg upward and kicking his opponent in the chin, making him unwillingly step back. The teenage bystanders watching the two clapped and cheered the fighters on, some guys whooping loudly while the girls squealed in excitement.

"Guys-!" The auburn-haired female yelled, pausing to duck when Cronos leapt overhead to kick her friend. "Guys, stop!!"

"Get out of here!!" Kenji ordered distractedly, the attack striking him in the arm, and he gritted his teeth and started dodging the oncoming punches from his opponent.

Heaving an angry hiss, he grabbed the other fighter's wrists in a split second, and threw him over his shoulder, flinging him to the stone concrete floor. The new student landed with a grimace, but hastily arose to a standing position and uppercut the ninja, spinning around in a full-circle, attempting a roundhouse kick. The male zoanthrope twisted away, but the blow still grazed his side; snarling, he dashed foreword at his opponent with his palm outstretched before his face. Cronos immediately responded by running at him as well, raising a fist behind him to get close enough before launching it at the other boy.

"That's **enough**!!" The girl exclaimed just then, running in-between the two guys to try and stop their fight.

"Milady!" The foreigner was barely able to halt to a stop inches before her.

"Ahhhh!" A shout came from her opposite side. "Uriko, watch out!!"

Instinctively, she sought to drop to the ground, but blinding pain exploded in her back, making her head snap and her mouth fall open, while her eyes slid down to a close. She fell to her knees; losing hold of her consciousness, her body upper turned and her cheek met the floor, and the teenager moaned in agony as she felt slight liquid trickling out of her mouth, then she succumbed to the darkness that came to engulf her.


	3. Naïve

****

Naïve

__

Ooh… ow…

Bright white light flashed before her eyes when she slowly opened them, making her squint, blink, trying to lose the effect… _Fade… fade…_ She pleaded inwardly, turning her face away to sink more deeply into the soft material that cushioned her head, blocking out her vision. Her fugitive hands searched around, groping for anything, and found coarse flesh, a soothing palm, and she grasped it, wanting to bask in the comfort. While she was being held onto, she felt another warmth travel to her cheek, gently stroking her doe-like skin, drawing a smile onto her lips. Sighing rapturously, she started murmuring sweet nothings, moving towards the source, but a brief clinch of pain struck her back, and she instantly halted, groaning quietly.

_Ouch… something… painful…_

Somewhere in the corner of her mind, a voice was being acknowledged. "Wake up…" She shook her head, not wanting to leave the dreamy fantasy. "Uriko… Open your eyes…"

"Don't… want to…" she resisted, crooning up to the thin cotton sheet that she suddenly discovered was draped over her body. "Mmm…"

"Come on…" the speaker continued persuading, "You're going to make me worry and feel even more guilty if you don't eventually wake up."

"I want… to sleep…" Uriko Nonomura yawned for emphasis, while clutching the hand to her cheekbone, snuggling up to it. She was tired, in pain, she had warmth, softness, comfort; the only thing that would make her arise up from all that was her best friend-

"…If you don't get up, I'm dumping water on your face, kitten." Came the playful, yet serious threat. "It's me, Kenji. As your best friend, I wish for you to awake, so that your friend Erika, your sister, your mother, whom Alice had phoned, and I myself won't freak out in thinking that I've fatally injured you."

Her eyelids creaked open. "Kenji?" The Kenpo student shifted her position and strained to sit up to look at her friend, but again, the pain stopped her and she lied down once more. "Why is… why is my back hurting…?"

"…That was me." Long, lean fingers trailed a circle about her forehead, around her cheek, "You want to sit up? I'll help."

She managed to nod, and then strong hands slid underneath her armpits, lifting her upper body with liquid ease, releasing her when she allowed her weight to settle in her rear. Gasping sleepily when the support left her, the teenage girl fell foreword, meeting and landing onto a broad chest, feeling hard muscles against her more delicate state. Opening her eyes fully, her large brown pupils wavered slightly for a bit before she was able to focus on the images - she felt as if she had been sleeping too long. Stretching her arms up over her head, Uriko sighed and blinked, looking at her male companion with a small grin.

"You doze more than Sleeping Beauty, you know that?" He commented, smirking, but then his expression turned serious. "How are you feeling? Is your back okay? Are you mad at me? I swear, I tried to stop earlier, but-"

"Ow, hey, hey, not so many questions all at once!" She protested, rubbing her aching sinus. "Okay, so-so, and not really, respectively! And, um, what time is it right now? Is this still the same day?"

He couldn't help laughing. "Back to your normal self, that's good. But, you scared quite a few people. I was afraid that I'd broken your spine or something worse. It's almost ten o'clock currently, and yes, it's the same day; feels like you've slept for quite a while, huh?"

"......" The cat zoanthrope didn't reply, just glanced about her surroundings, taking in the shadiness of the room, as the blinds were pulled down and dusk had already arrived. She recognized the place as the living room in her house, feeling the coarse material of the couch underneath her behind, the shadowy outline of the tall lamp standing in the corner. As it was dark, she gazed at her friend, and was disappointed that she couldn't see his face clearly, although the concept of being alone with him in that amount of privacy ignited a twinge of excitement within her. Faintly, she recalled that her mother was away visiting a sick relative, and wouldn't be home until a week before summer started. The girl sighed, feeling alone, even though she obviously had company beside her. "Hey… Kenji…"

"Yes?"

"Why were you fighting with Cronos Dakinasha this afternoon?"

"Oh…" he sounded hesitant, "That… that was just a stupid dispute. You see, his car was parked next to mine, on the left side, and when I opened my door, I accidentally scratched his car, _accidentally_! It's not even noticeable, really, just this dingy little white scar etched in his precious dark green paint. But he completely flipped out, and threw some childish insults at me, in which I responded to, then he picked a fight with me, which you witnessed."

She tsk tsked, shaking her head. "Still fighting at sixteen and seventeen. You boys. Still feels like elementary school, or something like that?"

"Heh, perhaps," Kenji admitted with a sheepish chuckle. "But hey! It's not my fault. I didn't start it."

"Okay, well, then…"

Just then, he gazed at her with an undecipherable look in his eyes. "…He likes you, you know that, right?"

"Huh?" For a second, the female student felt that he resembled Erika, questioning her earlier about having a crush on her best male friend. "Who likes me?"

"Dakinasha. Cronos. That guy I got into a fight with. He likes you."

"Oh, please," she shook away the idea, "He just barely came here! He doesn't know me well enough to like me. And besides…" she scrunched up her face, "He never calls me by my name; it's always 'Milady' this, and 'Milady' that, you know? Hey, you heard him this afternoon."

"He has a temper problem, makes a big deal over nothing. I don't like him. He doesn't like me because he's jealous, and that is pretty much the gist of it." The dark-haired teenager shrugged. "I don't really care about what he thinks, as long as he stays out of my face."

"And out of your space?" She giggled at the rhyme. "You can't stay here forever; don't you have to go home soon and eat, sleep?"

"No school, no stress," He replied smoothly, and she spied a diminutive smile gracing his lips - though she could barely see it in the darkness, even with her heightened night vision attributes. "I already ate, rest assured. I was in your kitchen a little while ago. I hope your mother won't mind. Are you hungry, though?"

"Nah…" she yawned. "Just sleepy, still."

"It's pain medicine," the ninja informed her just then, answering her unspoken question, "Alice checked on you earlier, and gave you a shot, some kind of medicine that's supposed to numb your pain, but the side effect is that you'll feel really tired."

"That explains it…" Uriko scratched the back of her neck and lied back down. "Then let me relieve my lethargy! I'll see you later, I guess, have a safe drive home, okay?"

"Home?" He shook his head and briefly squeezed her hand, still tucked in his. "I'm not going home tonight. I'm staying here to look after you."

"You…are?"

"Yes, of course. What are friends for? And besides, I'm responsible for what happened to you…" Guilt laced his tone. "I'm… I'm very sorry, Uriko. I didn't want you to get in the middle of the… 'disagreement', between Cronos and I, earlier."

"Aw, don't worry, I'll be okay," she whispered drowsily, pressing his palm against her cheek and curling up with her bed sheet. "Just… let me rest."

Even knowing that she couldn't see him, he still nodded, then leaned down and brushed a feather-soft kiss across her cheek, saying into her ear, "Good night," before laying his head next to hers, taking a comfortable sitting position and settling to slip into his own state of slumber.

The feel of his lips made her skin tingle, and she smiled, gripping his hand more tightly, a bit reluctant to fall asleep with his presence so close by. Her dear best friend… he was deathly loyal and faithful to those that he felt bonded to, his friends, his older brother, herself. The serene darkness of the night fell over her, a blanket of security, yet the inviting whispers crooned to her seductively, conjuring up images in her mind. An inward voice pointed out her friend's closeness, their being alone together, in her unoccupied house… at night, just the two of them, and him, a wonderful person who would comfort her if she needed him.

Thoughts of the possibility of where his embraces could lead to… perhaps a kiss, shy, tentative, like the one he had given her when he was dared to at that party a while ago. But kisses, they could start out tender, yet would leisurely grow more intense, passionate, and maybe she'd get to run her fingers through his hair, and he would do the same to her. That would be followed by innocent exploration, and she could get to feel the hard muscles of his chest rippling under her palm; he'd tease her neck with his lips, then slide his hands down to her bosom, and…

Getting a grip on herself, the feline zoanthrope shook her head just then, dazed. _Ack! What am I thinking!_ Fierce blush crept over her cheeks as she guiltily stole a look at her friend, feeling embarrassed that she was taking advantage of him, though it was just in her mind. Pushing the thoughts away, shoving them far down in a desolate corner to be forgotten, she shut her eyes and allowed blankness to lull her to sleep.

*****

"…Man! Can you believe it! Dalby's making me come into work today - he made up some excuse that one of the other employees had some emergency, so they're short today and guess who they called to fill in the spot!!"

Giggling sympathetically for her friend, Uriko assured into the phone to her best friend on the other line, "Oh, don't be mad at him, Erika. You're just such a great worker that he instantly thinks of you whenever something like this comes up; think of it as… flattery, that he respects you as an employee."

"Either that, or he figures I'm the easiest one to sucker into working extra shifts," the girl let out an exasperated sigh, "And I was planning to go to the party tonight, too! It's only in a couple more hours, and then _this_ has to happen!"

The Kenpo student was relieved to hear her companion move onto that different subject, whereas minutes before, she had been insistently inquiring of her current condition, practically interrogating her, asking if she was okay, if she would recover from her injury. Finally, she put an end to the questions by mentioning the party, hoping that it would work, and thankfully, it steered her friend's attention to that topic.

"I'm a hundred percent sure that there'll be other parties given by Cronos," the sixteen-year-old remarked confidently, "After all, this is the same guy that has now thrown four of them in just the last three weeks!"

"If he were a girl, I'd call him a social butterfly," Erika commented with a laugh. "Hey, didn't you mention earlier that Kenji's over at your house, taking care of you? What're you guys planning to do tonight?"

"Yeah, he's here," she confirmed, rolling her eyes as she expected teasing to start. "He just went out to the store to buy me something to eat. I'm in the mood for chocolate ice cream."

"Ooh, now he's buying food for you too?? You've got it made in the shade! I swear, Wendy Kessler would _kill_ to have all the attention that you get from Kenji!"

Uriko coughed at the mention of their class representative. "Erika, I told you, it's nothing, really! We're-"

"-Just friends, right?" the other student chorused, chuckling. "Well, you can hide it all you want! Anyway-oh, great! There's only fifteen more minutes until my shift starts! Argh… Sorry girl, but I'd better go get my butt over to work. Talk to later! Take care of yourself!"

"Thanks," the auburn-haired teenager replied.

"That is, unless you already have Kenji massaging your feet, or keeping you company while you sleep!" Erika couldn't help inputting impishly, then exclaimed, "Bye!" before her friend could respond.

"Grrr-!" The Kenpo student hung up the phone, then plopped onto the cushion seat of the couch, pouting as she crossed her arms over her chest to wait for Kenji's return.

*****

_Uhh… there are a **lot** of flavors here…_ Blinking bewilderedly, the ninja stared through the freezer doors, gazing at the various colorful cartons of ice cream, not knowing which one to pick for his friend. _…Damn it, Uriko didn't say which kind she wanted._ Usually before, when the twowent out to parlors, she would get a sundae with hot fudge slurring around the sides, but obviously that wasn't sold in the freezer aisle of grocery stores. _Um… let's see… How about this one…_ He reached for one of the handles, pulled it open, and gazed at a carton of Neapolitan ice cream. _Three flavors? Well, I know that she does adore chocolate…_

"Hey, Ohgami!" A masculine voice from the side suddenly startled him; he turned to face the speaker, and saw Cronos strutting down the aisle, two friends behind him pushing along a cart of party goods.

"…Cronos." Kenji greeted coolly. "How are you."

He flashed the younger male a winning smile. "Don't fret about me, for I am fairing well. How is the madam? Has she regained consciousness since this yesterday's late noontime?"

"…Yes, she's awake," he glanced at the new student strangely, wondering about his strange word usage and sentence structuring. "She's doing fine. I'm looking after her."

The jade-haired teenager nodded. "I am pleased to hear that. Well then, are you coming to my party tonight?"

"Oh, you're throwing a party tonight?" The mole zoanthrope couldn't have seemed less interested, and his words couldn't have been coated with anymore distaste and sarcasm; "That's great. Nope, I didn't hear about it until now, so I haven't had time to prepare. Guess I can't go, what a shame."

"Then, Ohgami, I personally invite you myself to attend my party," Cronos said, grinning arrogantly. "This would be your first, no? You must come tonight. Even just for a little bit! I would like for us to forget our little dispute this afternoon; in fact, I apologize for starting the unfortunate incident. So, my party begins at nine o'clock, do come! I am sure you would enjoy yourself."

"…Thanks, really," Kenji rolled his eyes. "But I can't. I'm staying at Uriko's house to take care of her-"

"Just for a little bit?" He insisted. "I would just like for you to see what a party is like, a mere glimpse into the circular ring of adolescent socialism. Sit for a few moments, then you can proceed back to the madam's residence and tend to her once again."

He groaned inwardly; there were so many better things he could think of doing that far exceeded attending the conceited boy's party. Yet still, he had indeed never been to a party before, and was curious about its ongoings, so he found himself saying something that he'd probably regret later, "…Fine. I'll be there. But not for long."

Cronos clapped his hands together. "Splendid! Do you require directions to my home?"

The ninja nodded his confirmation, and sighed as the other student handed him a half-sheet of paper with a map leading to his house, secretly thinking that this may have been one of the most stupidest things he had agreed to doing. After the wealthy teenager and his friends had strolled away to a different portion of the grocery store, the sixteen-year-old looked at the melting carton of ice cream in his hand. He stuck that back into the freezer, and retrieved a fresh batch, then started heading for the register lines to pay for the item.


	4. Taint

****

Taint

_I wonder if she'll wake up before I go back._

Settled in the driver's seat of his car, Kenji sighed as he briefly took his eyes off the road to glance at his wristwatch; it was a little past nine o'clock. After he had brought the ice cream back to his friend, he shared a bowl with her while the two watched a show on television regarding criminal investigations solved by forensic science. Just before nine, she had dozed off to sleep, and he took the empty dish into the kitchen to wash, then jumped into the bathroom for a quick shower. Grabbing a change of clothes that he had brought from his house earlier, he randomly threw an outfit on before stepping out the door to go to the party. Approaching the street that Cronos' home was on, according to the map, he slowed down his driving when a large one-story house came into view, practically the size of a mansion.

_Thank goodness Yugo and Alice are at that NGO conference meeting this weekend,_ he thought to himself. _If my brother knew where I was going at this moment…_

Crowds of teenagers occupied the humongous lawn in front, while he took note of the loud whooping and cheers that filled the air as he found a parking spot some distance away, and walked back towards the lively residence. Nearing the place, he raised an eyebrow when he spied people messing around in the backyard pool that was visible due to the opened door that allowed outsiders to look inward. Shrugging aimlessly, he tucked his hands into his pockets and continued strolling down the sidewalk, stopping before the entrance door, and knocking on the tall wooden frame. A few minutes passed, and all he heard was the noisy music coming from inside that blared through the windows; getting impatient, he placed his hand on the knob and turned it. To his surprise, it was unlocked, and he stepped in.

"Whoooooo!" was the first thing the dark-haired ninja heard when he sought to observe his surroundings.

The multi-colored lights flashing over the walls of the room made it hard for him to focus very well, but when he looked foreword, he faintly discovered that a fast blur was heading his way! Twisting his body to the side to dodge, he righted his balance back up, only to watch someone lurch out the door, and puke onto the shrubbery and bushes aligning the pathway leading to the house. Frowning in distaste, he shook his head pitifully, and started exploring curiously, meeting other hoards of students gathered about the place. In what he presumed to be the living room, couples occupied many of the loveseats scattered around, most of them kissing, making out, while a few of the immodest ones were outright groping each other right there in plain view.

Grimacing in disapproval, the mole zoanthrope quickly exited, and continued down a long hallway, peering into the other rooms to see what else was going on. In one, he saw several guys and girls sitting on the carpet floor, forming a circle, holding cards in their hands; the only thing irregular about the situation was that a few of them were missing articles of clothing. Kenji felt confused, as he didn't know why they were in that state, but he didn't want to stick around to find out, so he didn't bother lingering there. Moving on, he passed by a room with a closed door that had certain noises emitting from inside, giggles, squeals, low moans, and he twitched at the thought.

Hastening his pace, he poked his head into the last space, blinking at the absence of light, though he had no trouble seeing in the dark, as his animal counterpart was a creature that adored living underground. Wide couches and laid-out air mattresses were inside, all before a large-screened television that was on, and showed a movie. The sixteen-year-old glanced up to see the contents, and his eyes widened when he sighted a naked man and woman boldly fondling each other, especially in the private region area. Seeing the female engorge her partner's insanely long penis into her mouth and start sucking him while the guy grabbed her immense breasts, roughly rubbing and pinching them, invoked a foreign twinge in the cobalt-haired teenager. To make it worse, partially nude bodies were writhing together upon the couches and mattresses, in-sync to the action displayed on the TV.

Getting the distinct feeling that what he was watching was wrong; he whirled around, facing the opposite direction, trying to calm the strange throbbing that had ignited somewhere in his nether location. He suddenly realized as he was walking away, his cheeks flushed crimson, _Good lord! I think that was pornography!_ Balling up hands into fists, he clutched the open edge of his jacket as he headed for the front door, already regretting his earlier decision of coming to this obscene gathering. Music blared from seemingly everywhere, the sounds pounding into his ears as he walked, and he flinched when the volume was raised.

"Ohgami…!" He faintly heard a slightly slurred voice call from over his shoulder as a hand heartily slapped his back.

Recognizing the speaker, Kenji sighed and reluctantly turned to glance into the leering, distorted expression on the face of his former fighting opponent. "Hey, Cronos. Nice…gathering. But, I've stayed quite a while, so I have to go now. Thanks for inviting me."

"Oh nooo, noo," The other teenager protested, shaking his head as he staggered over to a table full of liquid-filled cups, and retrieved one, bringing it back to the ninja. "Stay longer! Have some…" - he paused and burped rudely - "fun! It's the weekend… enjoy yourself…!"

_…Where the hell are this guy's parents?_ The mole zoanthrope wondered to himself as Cronos teetered away, leaning his forearm against the wall for support as he began talking to a girl that was smiling dazedly. The pulsating heat and musky air of the environment did make him thirsty, however, so he sipped the drink, feeling sweet-tasting soda bubbles gurgle inside his mouth. Chuckling at the ticklish sensation, he downed the rest of it, then proceeded to the table where more cups were and took another, as his throat was relatively parch dry, since he hadn't drank anything for hours - melted ice cream didn't count.

His backside resting against the edge, he resolved to calm down and relax more, releasing a heavy breath of tension, when just then, a female student went up to him and exclaimed, "Kenji-kun! Come dance with me!" Firmly grabbing his arm, she pulled him out of his comfortable position, and he rolled his eyes, agilely snatching another drink before he was tugged over to the dancing floor.

*****

Countless minutes later, Kenji no longer noticed how loud and irritatingly noisy the music was - in fact, he found himself enthusiastically moving to the beat and rhythm of the catchy, fast-paced melody. Sweat glistened upon his face, and his head throbbed painfully as several times, his vision swirled and he was briefly overcome with dizziness, but he shook the effects off. He could hear his heart pounding fiercely, and he was beginning to feel albeit tired from dancing, but everytime he would try to sit down, some other girl would dragged him right back out to the floor again. Somewhere in his groggy, baffled mind, a voice told him to leave, check up on and continue to take care of… take care of… Take care of whom?

He released a shrill laugh at that moment, then started coughing into his cupped hand, startling his current partner, who left momentarily and came back with a drink for him. Murmuring, "Thanks…" with a foolish grin on his face, he quickly dribbled the liquid into his mouth and down his throat before dancing again. The girl before him smiled licentiously, her lips curving into a mischievous grin as she went up to him closely, and encircled his firm waist with her arms, inquiring next to his ear, "You're a real cutie, Ohgami. You don't have a girlfriend somewhere, do you?"

"Girlfriend?" For some reason, he giggled uncontrollably as he answered, "Noo… I just have a fest briend…I mean best friend…"

She chuckled while her hands furtively traveled down to boldly squeeze the twin cheeks of his buttocks through the denim material of his ash-gray jeans. "Mmm… you smell nice…" Eagerly parting her lips, her tongue slicked out and licked his salty, slightly sweat-glistened cheek. "Do you wanna go somewhere more private, and…play…with me? I promise you'll have a great time…"

All of a sudden, he clutched a hold of her side for balance when a sudden wave of nausea hit his stomach, and his eyes slid upwards into their sockets. Alarming the female even more, the ninja whispered to her raggedly, "'S-Scuse me… but I think…I think I hafta go outside and barf…"

Her eyes widened, then narrowed into a look of disgust when he burped in her face. "Riiight… Whatever," she snorted, turning around to stalk off, "You go do that. I'll catch you later when you're better…"

When she left, he sniggered devilishly, covering his mouth with his palm. "Gull…gullible… Now, ish time to go…" His words slurred, but he shrugged it off, and began stumbling through the room, blinking when certain aspects swirled and became blurry.

Shaking his head in confusion, he searched for the door, and when he located it, proceeded over there on weak-limbed legs, accidentally tripping over a busily-groping couple seated in a couch on the way there. Snorting carelessly when they cursed his clumsiness, he offered them a mere faint shrug, then continued to his destination, fumbling with the knob for a bit before being able to pull the tall wooden frame open. Outside, he passed by a few unconscious students laid down on the grass lawn, but he paid little attention to them, as he was groggily trying to remember where he had parked his car earlier.

_Damn… I'm tired…_ The mole zoanthrope yawned while he thought that, walking a-ways before finally arriving to a familiar-looking blue corvette. Tilting his head to the side albeit, he stared at the vehicle for a few minutes, wondering if it was indeed his, then decided to retrieve his key and find out. Sticking it into the lock, he twisted the small object to the side, and laughed when the bolt yielded, slipping into the driver's seat, relieved. Turning on the ignition, Kenji absentmindedly ran his free hand through his dark cyan bangs, brushing them away from his eyes as he began to pull out of the parking spot, never giving a second thought to his stupid decision.

*****

"Hey, Daki! Look, Ohgami just left! That's his car driving away."

"Whaa? Oh, yesh… Is he… did he look…?"

"Dunno, man. What did ya give him? How strong a dose?"

"Just the…the ushual…" A malicious giggle followed the drunkenly slurred statement.

"With E in it too?"

"Of courshe…"

"Duuuude… too bad he didn't stick around… It'd have been hella funny to see what he would've done, you know…"

"I…I shent Wendy afta him…"

"Eh? Ya did?? Then why ain't she baggin' him right now? You know she can get guys into bed with the drop of a hat…"

"I dunno… Now shtop asking me so many queshtions… My head hurtsh right now…"  


*****

_Knock… knock… knock…_

"Mmmm…" A whimsical smile curved Uriko's light carnation pink lips, and she snuggled more deeply into the warm comfort of her bed sheet, her mysterious lover's embrace cooing and persuading her back into the world of slumber. Gently cupping his cheek with her hand, she stroked his smooth skin, trailing a thin line along his cheekbone, while her fingers bristled against his dark… blue hair?

_Knock, knock… Pound, pound!_

"Ahh!" The girl was jostled from her pleasant dream, and she rubbed her eyes with the back of her wrists, blindly gazing into the darkness of her living room. _What was that…? Did I really hear something, or was it just in my dream?_

Scratching her head bewilderedly, she reluctantly arose from her sleeping position on the couch, and stretched her arms straight up in the air for a moment before slowly striding over to the front door, and looking into the peephole. "Hello?" She called, "Is someone there?"

"U-Uriiiiko?" A hoarse voice questioned, dragging out her name for some strange reason. "You…awake?"

_Who's that?_ "Well, obviously…" The sixteen-year-old murmured, not in the best of moods to be bothered, as her back began to ache, but she ignored the pain and asked, "Who is this…? You know how late it is right now?"

"Ummmm… time to… sleep…?"

"_Yes_," she answered agitatedly, straining to recognize the speaker. "Who are you?"

"Sssorry…" came the apologetic, shaky whisper. "Uriko… ish me, Kenji… I…I think I'm sick…"

"What?" _Kenji?!_ _But isn't he-_ Turning around, she looked about the place frantically, at that moment realizing that her friend's presence was indeed absent… but after stealing a quick glance at the clock, she saw that it was near eleven o'clock. Tugging open the door, she met the form of her zoanthrope compatriot leaning against the wall, seemingly gripping it for support, as his stance was visibly unstable. She instantly became instantly awake at the sight. "Oh God, Kenji! What the hell are you doing outside at this time of night! Get into the house, quickly, before you end up catching pneumonia or something!"

Numbly nodding, he obliged, although instead of gracefully stepping inside, he stumbled through the doorway, collapsing into the open arms of the un-expecting auburn-haired teenager, practically making her fall from his full weight leaning on her. After releasing a surprised yelp, she struggled to help him regain his balance, gritting her teeth in effort as she leisurely led him over to the couch and then made him lay down onto the cushion seats. Letting out a heavy breath, she sought to start interrogating him about where he went, but seeing a fine sheen of sweat moisten the skin of his face, and noting that his eyes were closed yet twitching albeit, she pushed her inquiries away. Her first priority was to make sure her friend was all right first; there would be time for questions later.

Sighing, feeling concerned for him, the Kenpo student dashed into the bathroom briefly and returned with a warm, damp washcloth clutched in her grasp. Bending to her knees, she knelt next to her companion, and delicately ran the soft material across his forehead, dabbing his cheeks, wiping away the growing-thick beads of sweat. At the contact, he began to shiver, as though he had been left out deeply buried in snow for a long period of time, and then he groaned quietly, as though he were in pain. Her large brown eyes filled with compassion, Uriko wondered if he was still conscious, but if he was resting, she didn't want to disturb him, so she remained quiet.

It was he who started the conversation; "My…my head hurts… And I…I feel nausheous…"

"Shhh… save your strength," she coaxed, placing a slender finger over his quivering lips, silencing him. "I want to know where did you go, and what happened, but you can explain later, in the morning. If you feel sick, then just rest now - get some sleep, okay? I'll stay with you throughout the night just in case you need anything…"

It wasn't just the fact that he felt sick why he was in no mood to go to sleep at that moment… but he dared not explain to her the other reason behind it. Weakly glancing up at her, his vision slightly blurry, he grasped the image of her doe-like face as pale moonlight shone over her skin, making her seem to glimmer exotically. The long dark strands of her chestnut brown hair drifted down, hanging just inches above his nose, and his fingers twitched, aching to reach up and grab the thin lengthy ends. Her lips were in a partial pout, yet they were moreso pursed together in effort to tend to his condition; offering him a tiny smile, she trickled one fugitive hand along the curve of his smooth cheek, stroking him comfortingly.

Oh gods… Unknowingly, she was invoking a foreign feeling in Kenji, awakening a part of him that been well hidden until that moment, when she was beginning to touch him tenderly. The hastening pace of his heart rate suddenly isolated itself into acknowledgement and blood pounded in his ears, while the loud sound of his racing pulse made him flinch. His gaze flickering over to her eyes, he watched faint speckles of dainty gray in her light brown irises, her pupils shining despite the darkness of the night, seeming larger and more luminous to him.

Even with all the brightened aspects, he still noticed that the corners of her eyes were slightly drooping, signifying the state of fatigue that she was in. He waited for her to open her mouth and mention her tiredness, but she never did, just continued to lightly slide the tips of her fingers repeatedly over his skin. Instead of calming him like she probably intended to, she was bringing a heated fervor to him, making the cyan-haired ninja more aware of her motions. He keenly kept his attention on her, following the direction of her every movement, from the casual swipe of the cool washcloth across his forehead, to the light tap bestowed upon his utterly dry lips.

"You're…" he started speaking just then, a distorted look betraying in his eyes. "You're really…pretty…"

Uriko blinked at his sudden proclamation, allowing pink blush to cutely dot her cheeks before recovering, "Ah, um, thanks… I'm not, really, but thanks for saying that anyway…"

He feebly shook his head. "No… you are… Don't be… don't be shy in…admitting it…"

"Oh, you're such a charmer, Kenji," his friend teased him gleefully. "Your lines vary everytime." Before he could protest any further, she shushed him gently. "Now come on, go to sleep… You need your rest."

"Okay, okay…" he playfully growled, shrugging in defeat.

Closing his eyes, he relaxed his breathing, making it become steady and tranquil; satisfied, the teenage girl got into a comfortable sitting position, then laid her head onto his shoulder, and allowed the embrace of slumber to whisk her away. All the while, she never noticed or knew that after she succumbed to sleep, one eyelid slowly slid up, the twin creaking open as well, and the pair of darkened brown pupils that watched her dozing form.


	5. Resist

****

Resist

__

Toss, turn, toss, turn…

Useless. It was futile in trying and thinking that he could fall asleep; gripping his hand into a tight, frustrated fist, the teenager finally sat up onto his bottom, pressing an open palm against his forehead. The wave of nausea that had earlier lingered in his stomach was slowly dissolving away, but when its replacement started prickling at him, he wished for the default instead. He didn't know how long he stayed there, intently staring at his female companion, but what he did become painstakingly aware of was the gnawing feeling that began to consume him from within. A lightweight upon his shoulder made his gaze travel to where her head was lying against him, and tenderness cooled his fiery emotions for a moment.

For a moment. Then his curious eyes roamed over her face, her long brown bangs shaping her serene expression, while the rest of her lengthy tress hung down around her waist. 

Her waist… small, slender, concaved inwardly, and although her snowy white nightshirt was a size too big, hiding her figure, he used his mind, remembering the last time she had worn a one-piece suit when the two friends had gone swimming together. Once, just once, she had donned a two-piece bikini, but since she'd been barely fifteen at the time, and her form was well-developed for her young age, lecherous, taunting remarks from observing boys had made her shy away from any type of remotely-revealing clothing. Argh… it made so mad now, angry at the thought, at the relentless guys who had dared make fun of _his_ best friend, and Kenji wished that they could be back in that afternoon, just so he could go and punch them in the jaw.

Ire filled his darkened brown pupils and his breathing quickened as the leering menaces' faces flickered briefly in his memory, making his formed fist quiver. But when the image of her scantily clad body in the bikini resurfaced and pushed out his growing-bloodthirsty ideas, he instantly relaxed. Lustful bliss contaminated his mind as he remembered the way her large hips delved in, curving into both sides of her smooth abdomen, muscles less firmer than his own flattening out her stomach. She had blushed when she caught him gawking at her after she appeared from the changing room, staring at her like a 'typical' love-struck fifteen-year-old boy. But still, a small, sweet smile had graced her lips, silently forgiving him, as she then glanced at the biceps of his arms, his four-pack stomach, making _him_ feel self-conscious. Well, it was her way of payback, he'd supposed. 

Oh, what the reminiscing… no, fantasizing was doing to him now. The ninja subconsciously let out a soft groan, a majority of his blood deciding to speed down his body and relocate at a nether region. Releasing a bewildered hiss at the strange foreign feeling licking at him, and he threw his head back, trying unsuccessfully to calm his racing heartbeat. His irises becoming cloudy and hazy, he stole one more look at the feline zoanthrope, regretting his action not too long after doing so. Almost immediately, his eyes went to her chest, which was rising and falling rhythmically with her eased breathing, but that wasn't his innocent intention of gazing there.

Since she was lying against him sideways, her shirt hung loosely on the bottom, but the top clearly outlined the smooth curve of her left breast, and especially her pert nipples, making themselves noticeable through the thin material of her attire. He couldn't tell if she donned a brassiere or not, but due to the fact that it was nighttime, and she undoubtedly trusted her best friend to act nothing but respectfully towards her, there was a strong possibility that she wasn't wearing anything underneath the shirt. Terrific, just another slam to wear down his resistance. His imagination chose to whisk away the shielding at that moment, and blood pounded soundly in his ears at the mere concept of her bosom bared to his vision, the thought of her climbing atop him and straddling his hips, leaning down to allow her breasts to fill his hands…

_ARGH!_ Just before his control could shatter, Kenji slid out from underneath where the girl's head was on his shoulder, and expertly flipped off of the sofa cushions. Breathing heavily and raggedly, he was silently grateful for the restraint of his jeans holding back his eager male anatomy, although the tightness of the denim made him feel restrained. Well, the better entrapment his lower attire had, the more obstacles would prevent him from leaning down and picking up Uriko, then throwing her onto the couch and releasing his sexual tension into her. Running shaky fingers through his slightly tousled hair, the teenager walked the few feet over to the front entrance of her home, each step feeling like lead was trying to stop him from leaving.

_I…I have to get out of here…_ he acknowledged, reluctantly reaching for the knob and twisting it, pulling open the door to step outside, all the while thinking confusedly, _Gods… why am I…am I feeling this way toward her? Uriko… she… she's my best friend! I'm not supposed to…to think about her like that; it's wrong, it's disrespectful!!_

"It's what you want," a voice laced with provocation taunted him inwardly, sniggering evilly when he flinched.

__

No…no, I don't! He denied, shaking his head, wondering if he was crazy to argue with a nonexistent speaker as he tried to shut the door behind him, but his hand refused to obey.

__

"You know you want her… You **want** her…" A low, seductive cackle._ "You need the feel of her soft, supple body yielding underneath yours, her breasts cupped into your hands, her moist, wet sex surrounding your-"_

"AUGH! SHUT UP!!" Kenji screamed just then, unable to keep his emotions hidden away within, his hand leaving the cold metal knob to slam into one of the house's wooden walls, impacting his frustration into the strike. The loud _thud!_ caused by his blow made him grimace, not in pain, as it was irrelevant to him at the time, but because he heard a feminine yelp of surprise coming from inside the residence.

Swearing under his breath at his idiocy, he heard his friend call out, "Kenji? Where are you?", followed by faint shuffling noises, then footsteps, and finally the door being tugged open. "Hey! There you are! Didn't I tell you to go to sleep?!"

"......" he didn't answer; he couldn't answer, for fear that he would accidentally reveal his alluring desires for her.

"…? Kenji? Did you hear me?" A curious tap on his shoulder. "C'mon, get inside now. You're in no condition to be out here with _this_ kind of weather blowing around."

"......"

She sighed in exasperation. "I'm not letting you stay here and freeze your butt off, damn it!"

She just swore; she was serious. "…I'll be fine." He finally replied, gritting his teeth in effort not to turn around and grab her. But in addition to that, her stubborn demands were steadily raising his anger level deep within, and he never discovered the sharp, deadly tips that were slowly elongating from his fingers.

"Kenji." Her voice was steel, unyielding. "Get inside. Now."

"No."

"Yes," the Kenpo student demanded, grabbing a firm hold of his arm and trying to tug him into the house - a frown formed over her brows when he resisted. "Come on! Get in here already."

Even though her fingers digging into his flesh was due to the fact that she was getting annoyed with him, he couldn't help imagining how hard she would scratch him - how deeply she would rake her nails into his back as he slammed inside her. Letting out a choked gasp at the thought, his opposition wavered for a second, and that's all the edge she needed, as the auburn-haired girl yanked once more, forcefully. He screeched when he lost his balance at her action, his feet tripping over each other, his already-unstable form crashed into his friend, his hands pressed against her chest for support. Their falling figures pushed open the door, and they continued to descend until the two both hit the house's interior carpet floor.

The female squeaked in discomfort, "Ow…"

Shivering, he couldn't help but take notice to the fact that he was lying on top of her, and if it weren't for the confounded clothing covering her body… "S-sorry," he apologized hoarsely, sliding off of her quickly to sit on his rear, turning around briefly to push the door shut.

"Geez… that hurt…" was all she complained as she sat up as well, a foot across from him.

Uriko rubbed the back of her head, then suddenly winced and her hand went to clutch at her chest and hold it against there for a bit; pulling away her arm after a moment, she studied her palm, shocked to see dark liquid stain her clean, untainted skin. Her companion leaned over to see what she was looking at, and her light brown eyes widened as she glanced down, spying the maroon substance soaking through a small section of her white nightshirt. His gaze followed her direction, and his eyebrows raised, then slowly, he peered at his own hands, surprised at the thin trail of blood trickling along the sides of his fingers, starting from the tips of his partially-grown claws.

"I…I didn't mean to start morphing…" he whispered raggedly, hastily reversing the process until his normal human nails protruded. "What…what happened to me…?"

"I don't know…" the feline zoanthrope appeared perplexed, while a faint glimmer of unease reflected in her eyes, and although it was brief, he still caught the inkling, and guilt lashed at him. Rising into a standing position, she went over to pick up the washcloth she had used earlier to dab at his forehead, then sat onto the sofa; he followed, sitting next to her. She started to unbutton her shirt, but self-consciousness made her first look up at him shyly before bowing her head back down and continuing the task. All the while, the decent part of his mind inwardly urged him to turn away and respect her privacy, but a larger majority practically screamed with glee at the thought of being able to gaze at her bare skin.

__

Shouldn't I do this somewhere more private? She wondered silently, noticing Kenji's watchful eyes. _…No. I trust Kenji. He won't do anything to me._ To prove that point, she unfastened the last button, and allowed the open folds to expose her chest, portions of her hair dangling and covering her naked flesh.

The bulge pushing against the crotch of his jeans was becoming painfully aware to him at the new delicious sight that he could hungrily devour in. As the sixteen-year-old female began to use the washcloth to soak up the bloody injury, between swabs, he spotted multiple tiny puncture wounds that had been inflicted by his claws. Shame washed over him for a moment, temporarily subduing his hormonal rush, but when she threw her hair over her shoulder, he caught sight of her bosom. So, she wasn't wearing a bra after all.

__

All the more easier access, came the sudden train of thought, and he nodded slightly at first, then realizing what he was agreeing to, shook vigorously, secretly pinching his own forearm as he adverted his attention. _If only this was a dream, then I could wake up before I do something very wrong…_

"…Kenji? Are you okay?" His friend asked tentatively at that moment.

"Are you done?" He countered with his own inquiry. "I apologize, I didn't mean to be disrespectful, looking in your direction when you were…not fully dressed. Shirtless."

"Oh… you don't have to worry about that," Slender fingers slid under his chin and turned her face to look into hers; he noted that her shirt was closed, but only partially by a couple buttons. "I trust you. Hey, it's not like you're the kind of guy who'd jump me if you saw some bared skin, you know!"

_"Oh, really? Are you so sure about that?"_ The evil inner voice cackled inside his mind. _"Go on, prove her wrong… Jump her… Tear off her clothes… Mount her…"_

"Goddamn it! Leave me **alone**!!" He hollered, instinctively lashing out with his hands in an offensive motion.

"Hey!" Uriko dodged away from his vengeful strikes, and felt his curved fingers comb roughly through her hair. "What the-? What was that for??"

He shuddered, trying to regain control of his emotions. "N-Nothing! I'm sorry. I…I'm just violently reacting to this sickness." He managed a pathetic attempt of a smile. "You know how much I hate being ill… heh…"

"That's poppycock bull." She retorted matter-of-factly. "What's going on, Kenji? Why were you outside earlier when I told you to go to sleep? What is bothering you so much that's making you so…different? You're acting really strange tonight, starting from when you left after we were eating ice cream together and watching that show on TV…"

_"Nag, nag, nag."_ The growing-bored tone commented dryly. _"Why don't you silence her…with your tongue in her mouth."_

"For heaven's sake…" he groaned quietly, his resistance slowly, but surely being worn down by all the persuasiveness.

"Hrmp!" His companion growled irritably, placing her hands on her hips, dignified. "Stubborn brat! You won't tell me anything, but why? I just want to know what's bothering you so that maybe I could find a way to help!"

The wicked imp sniggered enticingly into his ear. _"There **is** a way that she could help, yes…?"_

"You're distressed and engrossed about something, something important, yet you don't trust me enough to tell me about it? Is that why?"

He released a bitter laugh. "I trust you more than I trust myself. It's just that…" How could he tell her without letting her know the actual, precise truth? "It's just that I'm afraid how far you'll go for me."

"…? Why?" She frowned, a confused expression forming over her features. "Look, don't worry about what I would have to do; be selfish for once! Now tell me, what's up?"

An agitated hiss escaped his lips as he locked his eyes onto hers, a dark fire igniting and beginning to dimly glower in his pupils. "Stop pressing me for information. Please. Some matters I prefer to keep to myself."

_"Stubborn girl. Perhaps she should be taught a lesson in what can happen when her curiosity pushes her too far…"_

An exasperated sigh fizzled out from the corner of her mouth. "Geez. Just like the cold, in-drawn Kenji I first met. Untouchable, rarely smiled, always had that mysterious darkness hovering around you." He closed his eyes at the remorseful memory. "I never thought I could get to you, break through all those other layers, and finally find the inner person, but I did. And now, you're retracting into your cozy little shell again."

Annoyance heated up inside him at her assumption. "Don't take on situations that you can't handle, Uriko." He warned her coolly, his restraint on his urges loosening, unwinding, and yielding to the little devilish voice in his head, which heartily chortled in knowing triumph. _"The little girl wants to play with big boys' toys… Show her how incompetent she is…"_

"Don't be afraid of me," she coaxed, her brows knotted together in a frown of disapproval. "After all, you don't want Cronos to be able to rightfully call you a coward, correct?"

_…Coward…?_ His fiery irises flashed angrily as his breathing quickened. _I…am not… a… **coward**…!_

"All I need to know is, what do you want?" She gazed at him, her chocolate brown pupils shining earnestly. "Is there anything I can get you that'll help subdue…whatever it is that's bothering you?"

The final thread of his control withered away, and he leisurely closed his eyes to submit. Surrendering to the listless impulses that had been gnawing at him for so long throughout the night, he allowed his eyelids to slide up and reveal the emotions that he had kept well hidden. Wondering why he had suddenly turned quiet, Uriko tilted her head slightly to one side in curiosity, then leaned a little closer to him to try and catch his current expression. She didn't foresee his hands snapping out and seizing her wrists, pulling them and her as well, into the lean form of her best friend, her palms forcefully splayed over his chest. Yelping in surprise, she was tugged foreword, her nose running into his before she tried to retract and place albeit more distance in-between them.

Now that she was in his grasp, he wasn't about to let her go. Staring deeply into her eyes, she saw the strange, somewhat eerie smile that crossed Kenji's lips while she was trying to leave his hold. Distracted in her attempts, she barely had time to notice when he suddenly applied pressure onto her arms instead, his face descending toward hers. Frightened by his behavior, she instantly leaned back, realizing too late; that what she did was his original intention for her to do, as he now easily secured her body underneath his. His strong legs locked over hers, making her unable to lift up her thighs and knee him, while his elbows pressed her forearms tightly to her sides.

Finally finding her voice, she shrieked, "Kenji! What're you doing?!"

A lustful glint sparked in his eyes. Bringing his head down near her cheek, his tongue slid out from between his lips, and he ran it over her soft skin, licking her hotly. "What do I want? This is what I want." Before she could think of protesting, his mouth covered hers, crushing her into submission.


	6. Succumb

****

Succumb

She didn't expect his kiss to be tender, slow, or even remotely gentle - it wasn't; while his lips ravaged hers passionately, she closed her eyes, her muddled, confused mind conjuring up the memory of an even that had occurred the year before…

*****

"Leave me alone!" The stormy figure yelled, head ducked down and stiffly strutting foreword. "You ditched me when I needed someone the most… so go away! I don't need you now!"

The person being spoken to growled impatiently from a few feet behind. He had been trying to talk to this best friend, explaining why he brushed her off during the Tabula incident, but she dodged out of his way in school, and outside as well. A week later, he was tired of trailing after his best friend for so long and finally decided to confront her as she was walking home on afternoon. "Can you please just _stop walking away from for one second and let me explain!"_

The other bystander reluctantly obliged, whirling around, a long brown braid whipping her across the cheek. "FINE! I've stopped! Go on, gimme your best shot! I can only wonder what kinda lame excuses you're gonna use!"

"Excuses?! They're not excuses! They're reasons why I was so preoccupied with my own problems that it was hard for me to focus on anything else, even you, okay!" Their yelling bounced off the alley's walls, reflecting upward into the sky, scaring birds that were innocently resting on telephone wires into flying away from the loud ruckus.

"…I've heard enough," she breathed softly, turning in the opposite direction and continuing down the shadowy alleyway towards her house.

"Uriko!!" She heard her former friend holler just then. "GET OUT OF THE WAY!"

Her sensitive feline ears quirked curiously, trying to detect any hints of activity, and it was too late that she heard a noise resembling the whirling of a machine. Just as the girl looked up, she spotted a maroon figure descending down near her from the top of the tall building nearby. Her mouth fell open in a surprised gasp, and she frantically ordered her knees to bend and ready to jump away, a form struck her from behind forcefully. Letting out a pained cry, she felt the wind of the falling person whiz by and chill the side of her face; her body instinctively curled together into a roll. She somersaulted a few feet foreword, but not necessarily safe from danger, wincing as her abdomen vigorously landed onto her backpack.

Groaning feebly, the young teenager managed to arise into a shaky standing position, noticing the stiff fighting stance of her companion adjacent to her, his schoolbag lying on the ground next to his foot. Facing him was a crimson and hazy gray metallic-looking monster, wicked curved claws protruding from what she presumed to be its hands, matching the same gray spikes sticking out from its feet. A long drill for a nose elongated from the face, and briefly, Uriko giggled, thinking that this would be an odd choice for a snowman. Quickly sobering, she shook her head, then a fierce frown marred her brows, just as a whirling machine-sounding noise emitted from the beast, and it charged foreword at the mole zoanthrope with agile speed.

"Kenji, look out!!" she screeched, her anger towards him temporarily forgotten.

Eyeing the challenger coolly, the ninja leaped up into the air a split second before he would be hit, and landed down on top of one of the cardboard boxes stacked together in a group in the desolate back street. Smirking, he taunted, "You'll have to do better than that."

Screeching inhumanely, the monster responded by speeding at the young male again, and Kenji calmly sprinted away a second time, flattening the soles of his sneakers against the wall when he jumped. Reflecting off the bumpy surface, he seemed to glide on empty space momentarily, his foot outstretched and striking the metallic creature in the head. Smoothly sliding by, he left his other leg unguarded, and the monster noticed that, grabbing him around the lower thigh, stopping the teenager just short of his landing destination. The wind was knocked out of the mole zoanthrope as he was forcefully flung through the air, groaning in discomfort when his back struck the hard brick wall.

In addition to that brutal attack, the foe back-flipped, and numerous missiles began launching up from its backside, aimed for the somewhat helpless young fighter. He shielded a few from his face with the security of his arms, but others shot and connected to his middle area, hitting his susceptible abdomen and stomach. Shouts of agony burst out of his mouth when the seekers targeted his lower region, smashing near his pelvis, some even diving into the delicate area between his legs. The torturous onslaught finally stopped moments later, his lean figure twitching as an ache spread within him, and he didn't even notice that his opponent's form had changed to a more human appearance.

"Ugh…" he complained quietly while he was sliding down to the ground, slowly but bravely arising to his feet to confront his opponent, ignoring the sharp pain that pierced his entire body's tense muscles. "Was that your best shot? Come on! You can't do any better?!"

"Kenji!" His female companion standing nearby shrieked, "Stop goading that thing or you're gonna get yourself _killed_!"

The villain rapidly fired off crisp sentences in Japanese to the two students, and Uriko gasped the faint familiarity of the speaker from glimpses of her tainted childhood. "Bakuryu?!"

The foe vigorously shook his head, snarling and spitting out a degrading insult to Kenji in their native language. The boy growled angrily, his eyes betraying sparks of burning red ire as a murderous glint ever so casually gleamed in his stormy brown irises. Stiffly, he stalked foreword, stopping when only a foot separated the two duelers, raising up a hand to hush his friend when she began to protest. "My brother and Alice have each other to watch over and protect. They don't need me hovering around all the time, trying to meddle in their private business. But, I ignored, and treated you badly, abusing my title as your friend, and fellow zoanthrope ally."

Her expression softened considerably at his words, but then turned to worry when the ninja charged toward his opponent, yelling over his shoulder to her resolutely, "I won't turn my back on you anymore! I promise to protect you from now onward, Uriko!"

Blinding white energy sizzled around his body a second later, covering him in a shield of lightning, and she knew that he had taken the highest risk of any possessor of the zoanthrope crest sign. He had gathered all of his existing vitality together and morphed into his hyper beast mode, where his speed, attack power, and defense was greatly heightened, however, his stamina and endurance was extremely short-fused. She herself had only used it once, to fight against a power-hungry man named Xion with the most bizarre silver beast form, and had come out of the battle the victor. But she was extremely weak after the sudden burst of enhanced abilities, and barely managed to reach the front door of the hospital where her sister worked at before losing consciousness. While the young feline was recovering later, she listened to her older sibling scold her on how foolish and dangerous it was to drain all her power like that, and even cited cases of finding others not so fortunate that had died due to their level of exhaustion.

And now, watching her friend rapidly slash his claws into the Bakuryu-lookalike, tearing vicious scratches into his armored form, letting out wild screeches of his animal counterpart, she worried that what he was doing made him endanger his health, as well as his life. Her panic increased greatly when he executed one of his strongest combination techniques, knocking his opponent into the air, miraculously maintaining his mole form as he teleported to different areas, slicing through the other fighter's flailing body mercilessly. Finally extending his thick arms, Kenji grabbed the villain around the waist, spinning in circles as the two descended toward the earth, and he threw the other man headfirst down onto the concrete ground, the two friends listening to him land with a sickening crack.

But the young mole wasn't finished. Bloodlust glimmering wildly in his wide black pupils, he pounced onto the figure lying facedown, ripping his monstrously large claws through the unconsciously twitching body, making one hundred percent sure that it wouldn't be rising up and walking about anytime soon. Just as he raised his arm over his head to strike the killing blow, Uriko's voice begging him to stop shrilly broke through his battle-clouded mind. As he hesitated, the last of the hyper beast effects wore off, and he was instantly reverted back to his human form, nearly collapsing at his weary lack of energy to keep him sitting upright. Gasping in terrified worry, his female schoolmate hurriedly rushed over to him, catching his head in her cupped hands just in time, the rest of her body sliding in follow.

Carefully bringing herself closer to his still form, she gingerly cradled him in her arms, frightened tears shining in her large brown eyes as she cried, "Kenji, what do you think you were _doing_?? Don't you know how dangerous it is to go into the hyper beast mode?! You could have died from the major energy drain!!"

A guilty expression on his face, he weakly turned to look at her, fatigue misting his dilated pupils, his lips slightly moving together to twist into a diminutive smile. She leaned down near his level and grasped one of his hands, squeezing it tightly, allowing wet teardrops to drip from her eyes onto his cheeks. How could he have been so stupid, to risk his own life for her, knowing that she was perfectly battle-capable and willing to jump into that earlier fight? She felt like screaming obscenities to him, but bit back her tongue, not wanting him to regret what he did just to protect her from possible harm.

"Uriko…" She heard him whisper hoarsely, and lifted up her head, her ears paying intent attention to him.

The smile over his lips faltered at the sight of her state. "Don't cry. I'll be fine. And besides… you're worth the risk…" Those were his last words before he passed out in her arms.

*****

_Promise…_ the Kenpo student was brought back to reality when he started nibbling on her tender skin. _You promised you would protect me… But could you really… protect me…from yourself?_

His mouth plundered over hers, and his tongue traced her smooth lips before parting them to plunge in, tasting her moist insides, coming into contact with her own soft pink muscle. Engaging in a brief battle for dominance, Uriko began to squirm, fighting to get out of her imprisonment, trying not to let herself be distracted by his carnal actions. But it was easier said than done, as his hand steadily slid up along her forearm, loosening his grip slightly, cupping her cheek with his palm, stroking her creamy skin with the back of his fingers. Although she realized that now she could move her free arm and push him away, she could somehow feel her resolve melting away when he teased her shy tongue with his, rubbing the wet surface enticingly.

Soon, he coupled that with the thorough exploration of her vulnerable throat, his hand gliding over her quivering flesh, lightly trailing his nails against her skin, bringing a ticklish feeling to her. She could barely suppress a giggle at that, and then he moved on downwards, caressing her sensitive neck, making her perspire, sweat beginning to glaze her cheeks. Satisfied that her opposition was frail, Kenji broke off the kiss, and moved to the side of her face, blowing a sizzling low breath into her ear, then briefly nibbled on her lobe. A moan of resistance mixed in with agony hissed out from her lips, but the tension that had stiffened her shoulders and arms were leisurely deflating. A cruel, knowing smile formed over his expression, and he was certain that with more time and persuading, she would stop fighting him completely.

"A white nightie…" he whispered seductively against her mouth, tugging gently on the bottom of her ivory-colored shirt, "Don't you look like such a heaven-sent, exotic angel…"

She immediately grew rigid at his words. They sounded so familiar…

"You wouldn't be angelic, completely, now, would you? I would be crushed with disappointment…"

The rigid feeling turned to icy cold. She knew what would happen if she pushed him away…

His attention turning to her chest, he used both hands to reach for the small circles securing her shirt together, and quickly unfastened all of the ones that she had carelessly bothered with buttoning earlier. Pushing the open folds aside, the ninja tugged her arms out of the corresponding holes, and quickly flung the attire to the floor. His eyes glimmered wickedly at the sight of her bared bosom, but also flickered over the thin trail of blood that glistened on her pale skin. Guilt lanced him somewhere within, and Kenji leaned down to where the dark-colored liquid resided, and pressed his lips upon the small puncture wounds. When something moist and hot grazed her flesh, the girl jolted in surprise, realizing with a squeamish feeling that he was licking up her blood.

_Oh God…_ she bit her lip in disgust.

But her repulsion grew to breathless little gasps as his stroking became gradual, and he grazed the edge of his teeth against her skin, slowly traveling over to one of her breasts. Lightly kissing the curved shivering mound, his tongue protruded out to slick over her delicate nipple, laving it intently before ever so gently biting her. It wasn't the brief prick of pain that caused her to moan, but the feeling of his hand cupping her other breast, stroking her aureole insistently, both sensations making her head fall back weakly to sink into the sofa cushioning her. Her eyelids slid to a close, her breaths came out quickened and raspy, and when he switched his attention to teasing her other breast, there was little in her that still wanted to fight against his embraces.

Uriko quivered from his touch, and barely noticed when her friend took a hold of her wrist, and guided it down… down past the waistband of his jeans, placing her hand on the tight bulge pushing against the denim material. She gasped in shock, bringing a lecherous grin to his lips when she tentatively began exploring the area with shaky fingers, her nails grazing his arousal, making a groan escape from his mouth, hissing against her flat stomach, where his lips currently were nipping at. The cyan-haired teenager continued descending until his nose bumped into the top tip of her shorts, and with a silent growl, he tugged it down along her slender legs, stripping the article of clothing from her, letting it fall to the carpet floor. One last feeble barrier stood in his way.

Heat consumed her inwardly at the feel of his steady breathing fanning against her nether region, so close to her most sensitive part, hidden within her feminine folds. Trying to temporarily distract him from his intention, the sixteen-year-old female lifted her hands to grip the bottom edge of his shirt, tugging on it in a hinting manner. A triumphant smirk grazing his lips, he obliged, pulling his arms out of the sleeves, ripping the shirt up and over his head, carelessly letting it drift elsewhere. Grabbing both of her wrists just then, Kenji replaced her hands onto the waistband of his jeans, silently urging her, sliding his palm over her hips, reaching to the soft skin underneath and pinching her rear.

_This is… getting way, way…too out of hand…_ she thought dazedly, remaining frozen with uncertainty.

Sighing in partial disdain, he placed his hands over hers, and together unfastened the button securing his jeans, and let her pull down the zipper herself. Her mouth went dry as she completed the task; he slid off the couch and arose to his feet when she finished and stepped out of the attire, then reached down and grasped her forearm tightly, tugging the girl to stand up with him. Encircling her slender waist with his arms, he leaned over and captured her lips, ravishing her intensely, his hands descending to her buttocks. Squeezing her smooth cheeks, he absorbed a moan from her, then he angled his head for better access inside her mouth with his tongue. Striding foreword, he moved their bodies simultaneous until her back met with the wall, and the dark-haired ninja kept her there, pressing his lean form against her insistently.

_Ohh… Kenji… I never knew…_ She tried matching his every kiss, but he seemed to always be one step ahead of her, attacking whatever defense she left open, teasing any inklings of resistance out of her mind. The fresh smell of her Ivory soap lingered on his forehead, where she had dabbed him with the washcloth earlier, and the hard scent of spicy cologne fanned across her nostril senses. _This… Is this what he didn't want to tell me earlier…?_

Gathering up what little was left of her restraint, Uriko gently broke off their embrace, tilting her head back, opening her mouth to speak, just as his hand furtively stole inside her undergarments. Gradually traveling down her soft skin, he stopped briefly when he cupped her warm feminine region; her thin curls pressed against his open palm. Gasping aloud at his action, the words escaped her mind for the moment, and she found it especially difficult to focus clearly when he parted the delicate lips aside. The girl immediately grabbed a hold of his arms for support, and her knees buckled when he slipped a digit inside her, making her eyes register in shock. The surprise quickly wore off; turning her shallow breathing into heavy pants and tiny kitten mews of pleasure as he slowly slid in and out, intently stroking her moistening inner walls, adding another finger in to increase her tension.

Her nails dug deeply into his lean muscles, but he didn't seem to notice, just watched her with an intense look in his darkened brown pupils, which emitted off a shade of raven black. Her head laying against the wall behind her, the sixteen-year-old tightly squeezed her eyes shut, succumbing to the fiery sensations burning within her body. She felt pressure build up inwardly, getting closer, adding fuel to an explosion that had to occur, or else she would be driven insane, and she made small moaning noises and pleas, yet she wasn't completely sure what she was even asking for. But apparently, her friend knew, as he continued to torment her, teasing her wet clit, playing with her small, sensitive nub until she reached her peak. White light flashing inside her closed eyelids, she was unable to suppress the long, throaty cry that burst out from her lips at her first climax.

An erotic smile graced his expression at her displayed emotion. While her head lolled dizzily, and she sought to slow down her rapidly pounding heartbeat, he chose that moment to drawl enticingly into her ear, "What would be better than touching you… is savoring your sweet taste instead." She moaned at the seductive image that flickered briefly in her mind, picturing his dark head hovering somewhere down _there_, his lips exploring where his fingers had been doing so, his hot wet tongue slicking into her most private areas…

"Beautiful feline nymph…" he whispered, his breath fanning against her quivering flesh, "Enough torture… Would you like to finish this now…?" He leaned his hard erection into her tender abdomen, stealing a gasp from her lips. Wordlessly, she blinked, trying to force the cloudiness muddling her train of thought, and then suddenly, she sniffed in a huge breath to try and fill her lungs of oxygen - and caught the faint whiff of a strange odor. Leaning her nose near the foreign scent, she curiously smelled his hair, then took note of the heavy amount of sweat glistening upon his smooth forehead. Her eyes narrowed into a bewildered look, but the realization hit her like ice-cold water splashed over her face.

_Oh my God… Could Kenji be…drunk??_


	7. Break

****

Break

After the initial shock registered into Uriko's consciousness, she quickly shook her head and sought out to consider the possibilities before she gave herself up to her best friend. Of course, it didn't help her state of concentration when his lips started tugging at her earlobe, kissing the smooth surface, using his tongue to trace the dainty whorls.

_Ugh…_ she mewed a soft protest, but he seemed oblivious. _I should stop this… but I don't want to… But I should!_

A look of helplessness formed over her expression when her traitorous body continued responding to the young ninja's sensual touches. Her back eagerly arched when he cupped a hand over her breast, and her bare abdomen was pushed against his equally naked stomach, hard muscles almost bruising her tender flesh. Yet the feeling of their intimate position outweighed the slight discomfort, and she lolled her head to the side, allowing him easier access to the skin of her sensitive neck. The length of his hardness pressed into the apex between her legs, absorbing the musky heat that was being emitted from her feminine core, and the girl felt the sudden urge to grip the waistband of his boxers, and yank the confounded article of clothing off.

__

But, but, but… her mind mocked. _But nothing. Erika was right; if he offered his body, I wouldn't… couldn't… refuse._

"You're done fighting me, kitten?" Kenji breathed against her throat, making a small puff of heat warm her skin. "Good… Relax, now… …no more playing."

_No more…playing?_ Was her bewildered thought, then her eyes widened with understanding. _That means… Oh, no. I-I…can't go through with this…!_

The brown-haired student swallowed nervously, wishing for a drink to wet her parched lips. "K-Kenji," she managed to croak dryly, then coughed and recovered her voice, "Kenji, wait a minute…"

Unknown to her, a hard resolve built up in his cloudy, passion-darkened pupils. "Shhh," he whispered to her gruffly before securely sealing over her mouth with his, kissing her insistently, killing her protest as he rolled the soft muscles of her breast together in his hand, stroking her sensitive nipple.

"Ohh…" the feline zoanthrope moaned into his mouth, her fist dangling at her side, tightening with restraint as she fought for control over herself. Finally, she twisted her head away from him, "N-no. Kenji… stop."

An impatient growl noised into her ear, and he didn't relent to her request, just fondled her more amorously, slowing the stroke of his tongue playing around her own delicate pink lingua. A sudden chill leisurely crawled up her spine, cooling her fiery emotions, and the Kenpo student placed her palms on his chest, trying to gently push her friend back slightly, away from her. Easily grabbing a hold of both her wrists, the ninja held them captive in his own grip, otherwise remaining immobile, refusing to budge from his position. His body holding hers against the wall, his free hand slipping down to his waist and starting to tug at his remaining attire over his hips, wiggling out of the boxers and letting them drift to the floor.

Now, as nude as she was, he intentionally pressed his stiff length in between her thighs, teasing her entrance, making her writhe in both pleasure and resistance. A shudder of rapture racked her body, making the girl bite her lower lip and subconsciously roll her head back to lean against the wall, making a coy expression betray over her friend's face. Encircling her waist with his hands and grasping her by the sides, Kenji effortlessly lifted her up, loosely shifting her legs to wrap around his hips, a lusty glint lurking in his eyes as an internal primal urge pressured him to finish the consummation. He couldn't help but release a throaty chuckle when he heard his companion whimper at her new position, and he silenced her with a sensual kiss, ignoring a diminutive part of him inside that could only be what was left dwindling of his conscience.

_Gods… I need to tell him to stop…_ Even as she thought that, Uriko grew tongue-tied, and found herself unable to form the words of refusal. But a sudden new feeling whisked away the clouds and mist that were drugging her senses; the tip of his arousal was slowly nudging its way into her opening. Blinking dazedly for a second, she regained her state of mind and broke off their kiss, managing to speak albeit hoarsely, "Kenji, wait…"

He emitted what sounded like a low, frustrated growl and captured her lips again, all the while placing his hands on her breasts, making her shiver as he discreetly inched more into her. His male anatomy screamed to be surrounded by her wet, silken flesh, and belying sweet release deep within her; the dark-haired teenager was more than ready to oblige to those demands. _Stop fighting me… Little tease… seductive vixen…_

His persistent continuation gave her a cold, dead warning, and she twisted her mouth away from his carnal embrace. "Kenji, did you hear me?" Her voice was normal volume now. "I-I said stop!"

The mole zoanthrope paid no heed to her protesting, just relocated his hands to her rear, holding onto her soft cheeks for support, which made panic flower inside her.

"Kenji!" There was a definite sliver of fear in her tone. "_Stop!_"

"Shut up," he snarled as he nibbled on her throat, trickling up over to her ear, "Stop fighting. This is inevitable. You know it." He heard her mumble few words that he had interest in listening to, but one caught his immediate attention and he shook his head in denial. "No. I'm not raping you."

"Then please…" she whispered carefully, trying to slide up the wall to avoid full penetration, "stop. This **is** rape if I say no and you do it anyway!"

"Bull," he snapped in reply, lightly biting her earlobe. "You're just trying to make me feel guilty."

Apparently, his mind was set and there was no room for negotiation. Uriko's eyes frantically scoured around her shadow-cloaked living room, searching for a possible anything to stop her friend with the only option that was left. Spotting an unoccupied flower vase sitting on the shelf about a foot away to her right, she quickly reached for it, and held it over the male student. A twinge of guilt gnawed at her consciousness, but when she felt his strong hands trying to push her down onto his shaft, she summoned strength from her panic and sense of self-defense, smashing the pottery against the back of his head. The unbroken porcelain silently fell to the carpet floor when he jolted in surprise, and a furious fire ignited in his dark brown pupils at the realization of her action.

"You-!" A nasty curse word was at the tip of his tongue.

"I'm sorry, Kenji." The Kenpo student said to him as she made a large fist with both of her hands together, and delivered a forceful blow in the same spot where she had hit him with the vase.

His mouth dropped open in a silent gasp; a brief twitch traveled through his body before his eyelids fluttered to a close and he slumped foreword slightly. Letting go of his alertness, the cyan-haired teenager groaned softly and leaned his full weight against his companion when he slipped into unconsciousness. With a breathless "Oof!" from the sudden impact, Uriko lost quite a bit of stability and felt herself start to slide down along the smooth, cool surface leaned behind her. She hastily shot her arms out to press her palms onto the sturdy wall, pushing against it to try and steady her position, her chest heaving short gasps in effort. After a timeless moment, she untangled her legs away from her friend's waist and carefully slid herself up, off of his firm member to shakily unbend her knees, and place her feet upon the bristly carpet floor.

Gripping a hold of the ninja by his lean shoulders, she firmly kept him in a standing position, glancing at his closed eyes and solemn expression, biting her lip as her eyes began to mist. For a moment, she let her curiosity get the best of her and the sixteen-year-old girl's breath caught in her throat as deep blush tainted her cheeks at the mere unspoken concept of her action. Still holding him, she took a step back, letting her eyes leisurely slither downwards, past the shadows etched across the hard muscles of his abdomen, the tilted edges aligning his hips, and slowing to a halt near the junction between his legs.

Her gaze danced about the area, absentmindedly noting the short, thin, spidery strands of dark-colored hair surrounding his stiff, upright shaft. A small gasp emitted deep in her throat as her widened pupils trailed along his length, discovering that he was larger and a lot more blemished than she would have ever presumed. A tiny shiver trickled down her spine as a lecherous part of her mind measured him to be a bit longer than eight inches, and her lower region tingled at the thought of securely sheathing his size inside her. Suddenly realizing how disrespectfully she was treating her companion in his comatose state, Uriko flushed even more, and hastily adverted her eyes to the side, while calming her raspy breaths of slight arousal.

Bowing her head, she felt her long auburn bangs swoop into her face and whisper across her chilly cheeks, a few strands of her hair curving around the base of her neck. A choked sob wracked her body, making her throat feel as if it were closing together, robbing her of precious oxygen, and coupled with the small wet drops that were sliding out of the corner of her eyes. Trying to blink them back, she slipped her hands underneath her companion's armpits and carefully leaned the side of his form against hers. Grunting at him ever so slightly weighing her down, she slowly dragged him over to the couch a couple feet away, and carefully laid him onto the soft cushions. Finally, she retrieved the thin blanket that had dropped to the floor somehow, and draped it over her friend, drawing the edge up to his chin.

Sighing in relief at her task being finished, the events that had occurred between the two just moments ago and the full realization of knocking her companion unconscious really sunk into her conscience. _Oh no, what did I do??_ Her teeth clenched in a sign of dread at her previous action, and she stole a brief look at Kenji, his silent and still posture, biting her lip as icy guilt surged through her veins. All of a sudden, her knees grew weak and gave away; she plopped down to the floor, landing on her behind, her legs twisting underneath her figure. Succumbing to the hell-black gloom of the shadows growing to envelop her in the midst of the darkness, the girl blindly reached her hand out and grabbed her shirt. She brought the article of clothing over to her face and covered it across her eyes, letting the tears of remorse mingled with confusion and questioning soak into the ivory white material.

_Why…?_ She wondered, her shoulders shaking as multiple sobs jolted her body, quiet whimpering noises being emitted from deep within her throat and she sniffled hissingly. _Why… did I have to… hurt him like that…_

Lifting wet, blurry eyes to gaze at the ninja, Uriko felt her lips tremble albeit as inwardly, a voice blatantly attacked, _"Some friend you are."_ Her expression twisted into a pain-filled look at that thought and she buried her face into her shirt again, paying no heed to the goosebumps prickling along her arms from the cold and her nudity.

__

…Why didn't he stop when I said no?

The new inquiry temporarily distracted her from self-badgering and her crying ceased a little as she glanced at her friend with a worried frown marring her brows. _…Kenji didn't stop when I said no…_ A twinge of fear trickled down her spine when she hypothesized, _If…if I hadn't knocked him out when I did, he might… he might have…_ Panicking, she quickly grabbed the edges of the open folds of her shirt and drew it over her shoulders, although it did little to cease the scorching question scrolling through her mind, _Am I still… a…virgin?_ Unfortunately, there wasn't a sure way for her to tell, since the female student knew that her hymen wasn't intact any longer due to the excessive amounts of Kenpo practicing that she endured a couple years ago up to present time.

_How far… how far did he…_ The feline zoanthrope arose all of a sudden, snatching her fallen underwear and shoved it into her breast pocket before beginning pacing around her living room, pressing her balled-up fist against her mouth and biting her knuckles nervously. Inwardly, numerous thoughts soared by, the majority of them wondering why her friend had been so… persistent, as if it would have absolutely killed him to stop from completing their intercourse. The sixteen-year-old finally sighed in frustration, as the brooding was doing her no good unless she could directly ask the ninja and get the answers from him. A pout marring her facial features and a deep frown creasing her brow, she gripped random bunches of her hair in her hands, subconsciously tugging on the strands.

Her hold loosened when the memory of his touch continuously resurfaced, burning in her mind, insistently pushing back her other worries. She couldn't deny that there had been no attraction or heat between her and Kenji evoked by their kissing and touching; however, something about his attitude seemed off. He was acting as if he were possessed by an inner demon, offered a proposition that he couldn't refuse, could only obey and yield to its demands. Chewing her lip in deep brooding, the auburn-haired girl tried to cool down the tingles that surged through her veins at the remembrance of his skillful fondling and embracing. Briefly peering at his comatose form, she ran her eyes over his figure, and spied a small tent protruding in the sheet, near the junction between his thighs, presumably from his unspent member, and she blushed in embarrassment.

Her earlier lethargy finally resurfaced just then, and her eyelids flickered and blinked as she fought to stay awake to ponder more on her friend's previous strange behavior. But a quick glance at the clock, shadows etching across its face, the female student realized that if she stayed up any longer, morning would arrive before she knew it. Emitting a huge yawn, she slowly arose to a standing position, and started dragging herself toward the stairs, casting one last look back at her companion sympathetically. A pang tugged at her heart as guilt clawed at her throat, making vile bile rise and her eyes began to mist with tears that threatened to spill. She could only pray silently as she ascended the steps, _I hope he's not gonna get a concussion or anything…_

*****

"Ugghhh…"

Roused into awakening, the young ninja was immediately greeted by a searing pain in the back of his head, making him groan when he tried to sit up. With a grimace, he blinked open his eyes, weak implications of sunlight crossing his view, shielded by the thin blinds covering the windows. He adjusted to his surroundings quickly, a blank look in his eyes as he wondered where he currently was, then remembered going to his friend's house the night before. But where was she now? Last he recalled, he was taking care of the Kenpo student due to the back injury that he himself had caused her, but as he glanced around, there was no sign of her. He was alone in her living room, lying on the couch with a white bed sheet covering his body, and one hell of a nerve-wracking headache irking his nerves.

Unwilling to go back to sleep, he clenched his fists tightly, and sought to lift his upper body off of the softness cushioning him underneath, determined to get up. Gritting his teeth in effort, Kenji's eyes instinctively squeezed shut as he slowly raised himself onto his elbows, a pounding rhythm drumming seemingly inside his head all the while. Releasing a half-grunt and partial hiss from his lips, he finally managed to slide quite a ways up until he was able to sit on his rear, and then sighed in relief and disdain at himself for being what he considered, pathetically weak. Muttering a scornful curse under his breath, he scooted back until he could lean against the sturdy arm of the couch he was seated upon, and folded his arms over his chest.

His eyebrows turned down in a frown of distaste; the mole zoanthrope scowled when the headache persisted, making his vision blur and his eyes tingle. Blinking several times rapidly in an attempt to shake the effect off, an impatient, irritated snarl grumbled in his throat, and he uncrossed his arms to push the ivory-white bed sheet off of his form. When he saw his uncovered flesh, that was when he discovered that he was completely nude; his eyes widening, the cyan-haired student quickly replaced the thin blanket over his lower body, wondering why he was unclothed. _What the hell happened to me? And where's Uriko?_

A bewildered look formed on his expression and dismissed his present concerns when he noticed that his hands were trembling slightly, and felt a small wet drop trickle down along the curve of his right cheek. _I'm sweating?_ He wondered, confused, as the room temperature felt normal to him, and he was feeling chilly from being naked, yet when he went to press his palm against his forehead, feeling the solid evidence of moisture dampening his skin. His mouth fell open albeit, both in surprise and mystification, and he hastily tried to remember the events of the night before, but found his mind drawing a fuzzy blank on events after he had bought the ice cream home to his injured friend.

_"Then… I personally invite… to my…"_

_"Thanks… can't… staying at… house…"_

"Just… bit… like for you to… adolescent socialism… proceed back… tend…"

"Be there… not for long…"

Meaningless words thrown together into unstructured, improper sentences made him shake his head as he desperately tried to recall what conversation his muffled memory was conjuring up. When nothing sensible came to, Kenji growled in agitation and slammed his clenched fist into the cushion that he was sitting on, making a deep hole into the soft fabric that took some time to rise again into its default smooth surface. He raised his hands and grasped the dark-colored strands of his hair; his eyes tightly remained closed as he once more sought to come up with an explanation to why his body was sweating, and a migraine wracked his nerves. Soft footsteps padding down the stairs a little distance away caught the attention of his hearing senses, and his ears perked curiously.

__

…Maybe that's Uriko, the ninja realized, and his head immediately snapped up to glance at the approaching person, provoking another loud inner pound to drum inside him. _Ugh… damn this headache…_

A few minutes later, his friend emerged from around the bend of the wall, a look of surprise instantly aligning her features when she noticed he was awake. Uriko cut her gasp short and quickly peered at the clock, then blinked and remarked to him, "Ah, um… 'Morning, Kenji… What're you doing up so…early? It's not even seven o'clock yet…"

He noticed the faint mark of worry rings surrounding her eyes, the evidence of fatigue hidden in her chocolate brown pupils, and what seemed to be slight stains of dried tears plastered over her cheeks. There were deep creases in several parts of her face, invoking an idea in him that she had tossed and turned during the night, unable to sleep. Perhaps she had suffered from insomnia? And the way that she kept biting her lip while intensely gazing at him, an almost guilty glint flickering in her shady irises made him suspicious of her behavior. His friend was in a disheveled state, something that he had never seen her in before, and his first thought was of concern regarding her current condition.

The teenage boy opened his mouth to ask her if she was all right, but instead what flew out was, "What in the world happened to me?"


	8. Deny

****

Deny

_Lie._ _Don't tell him what really happened. _Came the helpful, initial thought that sailed through the girl's mind, and made her blurt, "You're sick."

Kenji blinked and flinched as another spasm of pain seared into his already-pounding head. "Yes, that much I guessed by this immense migraine I have right now…" he managed to reply, gritting his teeth in effort to clear away the dizziness that was beginning to cloud up his vision. _Wh-what else happened? How did I get sick?_

Unknown to him, her face twisted into a look of worry, but then she quickly wiped it away and with too much faked enthusiasm, she piped, "Don't worry, I'll go get you some aspirin for that!"

She simpered off towards the kitchen, slightly relieved to be out of the sight of his curious and equally confused expression at her unusual attitude. The Kenpo student noisily opened and closed cabinets so that her friend wouldn't think of asking her any questions during that brief period, and retrieved a small bottle of the medicine. Popping off the cap, she poured a couple capsules into her palm, and filled a cup with water before strolling back to the living room, handing the ninja what she currently possessed in her hands. He glanced at her gratefully, and quickly dumped the two pills into his mouth, downing them with the cold liquid inside the cup, drinking every drop as though thirst was driving him with need. Giving the glass back to the girl, he sighed in relief when the coolness of the water temporarily distracted him from his pain, but then it hit him with an unexpected roughness, and he grimaced in discomfort.

Standing by quietly, Uriko drew her attention to chewing her bottom lip, worrying that he would question more about his ill condition, and that she hadn't had enough time to think of additional excuses. It'd been nearly impossible for her to fall asleep the night before, and she had spent most of the hours tossing and turning in her bed, still trying to soothe the flames of passion lingering within her nerves. Fed up with her failed attempts at succumbing to slumber, or forgetting about her earlier embrace with the male zoanthrope, she finally went downstairs to her living room, and watched over him for a while. She had still been scantily dressed in her nightwear, the same thin white shirt that he'd flung aside during their embrace, and cream-colored undergarments that he tugged down with unrestrained urgency.

All she brought was a summer jacket slung loosely over her shoulders to prevent her from getting too chilled by the cool weather. While the teenage girl had been staying by his side during the night, she painfully realized that her fiery emotions, invoked by her schoolmate, had not ceased with each passing moment, as she'd hoped it would. The young feline secretly yearned for him to suddenly wake up sometime in her surveillance, and reach his arms out to hug her, hold her against his body tightly. But of course, nothing of that sort happened, and maybe a small part of her was relieved with that outcome too, as she didn't want their platonic relationship to be ruined. Protective instinct made her observe him until the first rays of a newborn day peeked through the shades covering the surrounding windows, when she hastily retreated to her room on the second level, waiting to hear signs of him awakening. It was then that she had hastily thrown on a clean light blue tank top and pair of matching jeans before descending back to where her friend was.

"So…" he started to say just as she began to turn and head back to replace the cup, "I got sick."

She stopped, pivoting around to give him a sympathetic look. "Yup. I think you must've been strolling outside too late; I found you wandering around the porch last night, so I brought you inside."

A strange feeling nagged at his mind, as though silently contradicting her statement. "Oh?"

"Uh huh. 'Scuse for a minute…" the auburn-haired girl adverted her attention away and agilely strode over to her kitchen, disappearing from his sight.

"…Huh."

Releasing a heavy breath, Kenji laid back against the couch's arm behind him, an irking inquiry persisting his consciousness, making his eyes narrow into slits in curiosity. Out of the corners, he furtively glanced to the side, peering at the area where his companion had left, a solemn thin line betraying his lips when he tried to smile at the thought of her taking care of him, as he did to her when she was injured herself. The pounding in his head began to cease, soothing his rigid tension, and he inwardly thanked the quick and efficient effects of the medicine. But the corners of his mouth refused to quirk up, and instead he frowned, baffled in wondering why he felt so disturbed, why his conscience sounded a quiet warning tone within his mind. In reflex and response to that, he waved his hand into the air, seemingly like he was trying to swat a bug flying around, making a noise of amusement come from a couple feet away.

"Is there a fly somewhere in here?" He heard his friend inquire.

"What?" he was startled, but then quickly recovered, looking straight foreword instead of at her, in case she would be able to see through his fib by his eyes, "Oh, uh, I thought I saw a mosquito, that's all. I… hate insect bites."

"Yeah, I know," she grinned faintly, sitting down onto the soft carpet floor nearby his location. "…Other than that, you feeling okay?"

"Ah, don't worry about me," she replied dismissively, shaking her head. "Need anything else? More water? Another blanket? TV Guide and remote control?" _You and me in my bedroom?_ Realizing what she had thought, the girl shrieked inwardly and scolded herself.

"No, I think I'll be alright," he assured with a small smile. "Although I'll take you up on the TV thing. I wouldn't mind soaking in some radiation for a little while of entertainment."

She giggled lightly at his slightly pathetic attempt to joke, and retrieved the remote from the side table, pressing the power switch to flick on the television. "I'm game."

*****

"What in the Holy name of Gandhi happened?"

"I'm telling you, he was gonna puke! Puh-lease, you think I wanted him to ruin my expensive Chantel dress with his barf? We-ell, unless it was with another source of… bodily fluids, teeheehee…" A sly, provocative giggle.

_…I did not need to have that information shared._ "Alright, alright…" Lean fingers went to rub at tensed up temples. "…Madam. Do you have an escort to the widely popular social event taking place a week from today?"

"What? You mean the prom? Of course, duh! Who do you think you're talking to, the loser of the school? But you know, it was kinda hard trying to decide who to go with between Ian, Chris, Jason, Elliot-"

"Wonderful. Congratulations on your luxury of being presented with multiple partnering options. However, would you rather be accompanied by one of _those_ ruffians, or object of many of our female schoolmates' eye?"

"You know who the only person I'd turn them down for is! Ohgami with that hot bod of his… Sexy Kenji-kun… Goddamn it, I was so close yesterday! You and your stupid beer! If it weren't for that shit, I could've taken him right then and there! At least he didn't reek of alcohol, now **that** would've been a total, complete turn-off."

"That purpose was served by the magnificent beauty of vodka, my fellow scholar." A satisfied smirk. "He never recognized or realized the cause of the effects that I am sure he must have suffered later. The innocent, naïve little fool."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever… It's still your fault that I didn't get to bag him! Ooh, I bet he's still sweet and pure - how I'd love to be the one that snags his luscious virginity…"

"Alright, whatever it is that you please. If you can somehow manage to convince him to attend the prom with you, that would provide an avid excuse to consummate your relationship with him the same night."

"H-Huh?? Oh, yes! Yes!! Why didn't I see that earlier! Hey wait, but isn't Kenji-kun smitten by that little snotty girl of yours, the Nonomura chick? If he was gonna go to the prom, you know he'd be taking her there before any other girl at school!"

"Exactly, I had thought the same, so you and I, we must work together to separate their friendship long enough for us to step in, and claim our respective desired bystanders."

"What? Damn it, speak normal English, will ya? Throw in some slang, 'cause I don't understand that fancy babble!"

"Let's break them apart and take the remaining pieces! There, is my proposition simplified enough for you!"

"OK, Jesus! Chill out! I get it, I get it! All right, that sounds like a good plan to me! I'll go for it. But hey… how do you think we're supposed to crack through their supposedly rock-solid friendship?"

"A quite simple procedure shall assist in solving our dilemma…"

"Hey! _Normal _English please!"

*****

"Read a book."

"Too hot."

"Go to the movies with Erika."

"She's working."

"Clean the house. Surprise your mother."

"Bor-ring!"

A slightly irritated frown crossed Kenji's brows, but he spoke evenly, "You're being very difficult, Uriko."

"Yeah, I know. Blame the weather. It's too early for it to feel like summer right now!"

He agreed with that last statement, for the heat was distorting his concentration, as well as drawing his patience quite thin. It was the late afternoon, and his headache had thankfully cleared up with the hours of sleep that had consumed the majority of his energy that morning. But the hot weather foreshadowed the upcoming days of the approaching summer season, promising discomfort and more periods of whining and complaints. Restlessly sprawled upon the cushions of the couch, sitting across from his female companion, he lazily glanced at the thin blanket that had covered him at night that was now lying on the floor. The ninja's eyes traveled over to look at his friend, watching her yawn listlessly, her back sliding off the arm of the sofa and her form descending into a laying position.

An idea came to him just then, and he could have hit himself for not thinking of it earlier. "Let's go to the pool and swim."

Her expression brightened. "Swim? Oh God, of course! I can't believe I didn't think of that!" She jumped up and enthusiastically charged toward the stairs leading up to her room, calling over her shoulder, "The heat must be really getting to me; let's leave before my brain turns into mush!"

"Wait! Hey! I don't have trunks with me!"

"No prob!" he heard her voice reply to him faintly, "You left a pair here the last time we went swimming - I washed it and put it away somewhere, just give me a couple minutes to find them!"

Sighing, the cyan-haired teenager swung his legs over the edge of the couch, and arose from his seat, standing up and raising his arms above his head to stretch his tensed muscles. He was glad that he had felt well enough an hour ago to return to his home and grab a shower and change into a new outfit, since he was planning to stay at his friend's house until dusk fell. Throughout the day, brief flashes flickered in his mind, provoking him with mere segments of a puzzle that he wanted to, but couldn't solve. Kenji assumed they had relevance to what had happened to him the night before, but there was no reason for him to doubt his friend's explanation, right? Yet still, an internal instinct lurking deep within his subconscious-ness urged him to recall everything that had occurred, and he obliged, as he wanted to find out for himself.

Ever since he was nine years old, the young mole had always doubted his past, wondered what his life had been like before Tylon captured and brainwashed, then him trained in the art of Ninjutsu to be used as a weapon. But after being rescued from the corporation by the barely grown teenage Yugo Ohgami, the poor little boy's life had been looking better and his heart had gained human emotions. Then, all too soon, everything Kenji had worked hard to maintain was shattered by the appearance of a certain estranged scientist, and his terrorist group, that was seeking zoanthropes to perform inhumane, bestial experiments on. Kidnapped to serve the purpose of being an assassin for the deranged man, he lost every aspect of his morality and conscious thought, always only concentrating on his new assignments, killing his ordered targets.

Thankfully, he was rescued by the nurse girlfriend of his "brother" Yugo, and returned home to where he tried to again reclaim his former steadily improving life. During his unfortunate period of being an assassin, he'd come across a young girl and her master that had both been searching for her mother, as well as the leader of the terrorist group, the Zoanthrope Liberation Front, or ZLF. Her wide chocolate-colored eyes hid her fear well as she courageously stood up to fight him, and didn't even whimper or show any signs of tears when he defeated her, not entirely with ease. The two had been entangled in a ferocious battle, her persistence and love for her mother driving her onward, and the effects of the brainwashing and his master's commands fueling his own determination to dominate over her.

The dark-haired ninja remembered the cute, bluntly outspoken words she blurted before they fought that had temporarily wavered his hard resolve. She called him young and handsome. Even when the girl had never seen him prior to their encounter, she hadn't cocked up a critical brow in his direction, and instead had complimented him. After the second battle, when her Kenpo instructor had taken her place and defeated the teenage assassin, he retreated back to his hideout and wondered why a perfect stranger would show him any kindness. When the whole mess of the ZLF had cleared up weeks later and Kenji once again started living his life over, he was merely walking through the hallways of his school, and bumped into another student one day. Both sets of their textbooks collided and clattered noisily to the floor, and he silently picked all of them up, keeping his own tucked under one arm while his free hand offered the remaining to the other bystander.

That moment, when he looked up into a pair of familiar twinkling brown eyes, glanced at the girl with long auburn hair curling around her waist and a friendly smile gracing her soft pink lips, everything for him changed drastically.

__

"Hey! Sorry, not trying to be rude and break this conversation up or anything, but we gotta go now or we're gonna miss the bus ride home!" Another female that had been standing nearby spoke, presumably her friend.

__

"Aw, it's OK Erika, you can go ahead, I'll just wait for the next bus! I'm gonna talk to this boy; he's… a long lost friend." The first girl giggled when she saw his eyes widen at her little white lie. When the impatient student left, she suddenly grew shy and timid as she introduced herself, _"Hi, I'm Uriko. I don't know if you remember me… but…"_

_"I remember you."_ He answered simply, quietly, unsure of what she wanted from him. _"I am sorry for running into you. I promise that I will be careful and pay more attention from now on."_

_"Oh, don't worry about that!"_ He still recalled when she flashed him an adoring, killer smile. _"It was just an accident, I'm sure! Hey… where do you live?"_ Hesitantly, he told her, and she responded with an eager grin, _"Great! I'm nearby there. Wanna walk home together? I wouldn't mind having a new friend,"_ she chuckled, _"Especially a cute one like you!"_

The male teenager was wagered tongue-tied by her energetic show of enthusiasm, and found himself only able to numbly nod to answer her request. The two had slowly became friends, at first with much reluctance from him, the solemn, loner attitude that soaked every pore and inhabited his expressions. She leisurely wore down his sure, solid shell of protection, and grabbed his hand, tugging him out of the dark shadows and ominous clouds, leading him into her world of bright activities and sunlight. Like a newborn bud, all it took was time, patience, and good-natured nurturing that brought the first colorful petals to grow into a beautiful, proud and tall flower. Granted, he didn't possess the enormous ego of a typical high school jock, since he was innocently naïve in the ways of adolescent socialism and didn't know most of the female students were pursuing him.

But at least he wasn't the mute protagonist he had been at the beginning of freshman year anymore; he had friends now, and limited knowledge of how to get along and interact with his fellow peers.

Shaking his head free of his reminiscing state, Kenji sighed and absentmindedly ran a hand through his cobalt bangs, the same plaguing question passing by in his mind, _Where would I be now if I hadn't met Uriko that day…? Still that quiet, tentative boy who would rarely speak outside of home, whispered about and mocked behind turned backs?_ He frowned in distaste, mentally scolding himself, _…No; I don't want to think about what ifs. The present is what is important now. Only I can control my life and decide where to go from here. …As long as I still have Uriko by my side as my friend._

"Okay, Kenji! Ready now!" Approaching footsteps accompanied the voice that vocally expressed relief that came from the direction of the stairs, and he patiently awaited his friend's arrival. She bounded into the living room seconds after her announcement, with the thin black strap of a small duffel bag casually slung over her shoulder, still in her normal day outfit. With a joyous smile curving her delicate lips, Uriko caught his curious look, and answered knowingly, "Our swimming stuff's in here. We can change later, before we get into the water, right?"

His partial smirk was encouraging. "Anything you decide, I'm fine with."

"R-Really?" In a sudden mood change, she seemed timid just then, "Then… then would you mind if we went to the lake instead of the community pool? I mean, being a Sunday afternoon, there's probably gonna be a lot of people there, and we'll have to be cramped in a tiny pool with a bunch of other students from our school, and…" she cut herself off, looking down in embarrassment.

In a flash, he remembered that his friend was often shy with the concept of swimming in public view, where people watching her could be critically cruel, since she was barely short of a beginner. In fact, the male zoanthrope helped teach her how to swim at least a couple times a month, to try and help her overcome the initial cat fear of water. "That isn't a problem with me, Uriko. We can go to the lake instead, it's a lot more private there."

There was visible relief in her facial expression at that moment. "Whew… thanks, thanks a lot for understanding." She beamed happily. "Okay, now that _that_ problem is solved, we can leave now! Come on, we need to cool ourselves off before the sun disappears and reminds us of how close the new school week is to starting again!"

"Since you're so eager, I suppose you'll be elated to know that we'll be back in school in less than twenty-four hours," he teased her with a quick wink. "But you're right about one thing; let's go before the sun retreats into the hills, and it gets too cold for us to swim anymore."

"Less talking and more walking!" She ordered, grabbing her companion by the arm and striding over to pull open her front door, pushing him outside and turning back around to securely lock the tall wooden frame.

He chuckled. "Lead on, kitten."

The girl stiffened for the slightest moment at the friendly nickname, long enough for him to notice, but then recovered before he could inquire what was wrong, and piped, "Alright, sheesh, let's go already!"

Slipping her hand into his, she tugged him into a slow jog, picking up the pace as she deliberately taunted his running speed, challenging him to a race without actually speaking the words. With a confident smile, he took her on, and the two darted toward the thick ringlet of tall trees in the not-too-far off distance, surrounding an area of cool water awaiting newcomers to join in.


	9. Tease

****

Tease

"Are you done yet in there?"

"U-um, almost! Just…checking my sunblock lotion!"

A sigh of exasperation responded from the figure standing several inches before the edge of the lake, dark eyes revealing eagerness to jump into the shimmering blue water.

"Listen, why don't you just go in there first? I'll join you when I'm done."

With a quick glance at the tip of the sun that was stealthily slipping down into the hills of the far-off horizon, the ninja shrugged and ran foreword, leaping up into the air and neatly diving to be enveloped by the cool light liquid. The initial shock of the coldness surrounding his body numbed his senses and he immediately felt his hands and legs quiver in the water, his nose turning into a frozen rock. Surfacing, he swore under his breath while his teeth began to chatter, then remained motionless in his position, waiting to get accustomed to the chilly temperature. After several minutes, Kenji somewhat regained feeling in his stiff limbs and ducked his head into the lake again, ripples brushing by his face as he did so.

__

Oh well. I'm going to have to get used to this. He coolly remarked to himself inwardly, closing his eyes and stretching his arms out to rhythmically breeze through the water and coast his form onward.

The cobalt-haired teenager eased around the lake agilely, the feeling of the icy liquid kissing his skin strangely soothing his mindful worries and inquiries. Strands of his dark blue bangs moved along with his motion in silky tranquillity, as his lean legs powered in systematic kicking, the thin plastic material of his black trunks clinging to his muscular thighs. The slightly looseness of the elastic band encircling his waist informed him that he must have lost a few pounds since the last time he went swimming, and he briefly recalled the increased intensity of his daily training in the last couple weeks. His friend had always voiced her opinion that he was too hard on himself in regards to keeping his battle techniques fresh in memory, and he never took her advice to simmer down just the slightest bit.

A sudden faint splash sounding a few feet away caught his attention at that moment; the mole zoanthrope paused and surfaced, looking around to sight his companion. He was only able to make out a blurred form in the nearby area that was moving toward him, but of course, who else could it have been? Smirking albeit, Kenji effortlessly sank his hands to grab a forearm of the swimmer that almost passed him by, and pulled her up to see her face. She squealed in surprise, making air bubbles gurgle underneath in the water, and heaving a gasp out of her lungs when her upper body ascended to his level. He began to laugh softly at her reaction, but his expression was quickly cut short when he noticed Uriko cross her arms and try to hide herself.

He soon understood why, as only two skimpy articles of maroon clothing, if they could be called that, served as her attire - one covered over her chest area, and the other encircled her hips. Her long brown hair was tied into its usual waist-length braid, which was unfortunate for that particular time because it helped call attention to her body all the more. Though dusk was approaching, his mole counterpart within gladly assisted his vision with nocturnal enhancement, so that the outline of her slender figure blared out to him like a flash of sunrise ruby. Small drops of water slithered down her chin, and her shoulders shivered from the coldness of the air whisking by the wetness soaking her pores.

"You're… you're wearing…"

She made an embarrassed noise deep in her throat. "Yeah… I am…"

"B-but…" his brows knit together into a disapproving frown. "That doesn't really seem to be appropriate wear for _swimming_, don't girls who have on bikinis usually just sit around on lounge chairs and revel in the knowledge of other guys staring at them?"

"Hey! Excuse me, but I'm not one of those girls!" The Kenpo student answered indignantly, and he caught a brief flicker of an all-too-familiar red gleam in her eyes, while pointy tips began to protrude from her hair. "I just thought that it was about time for me to forget what those lousy, scumbag boys said a couple years ago, and show them and myself that I can wear whatever I want, regardless of theirs, or even your approval!"

The ninja held his hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright, I'm sorry, Uriko. I didn't mean to offend you. Just… stop morphing now, okay? It's too cold to fight at this moment."

She grunted quietly, then quickly reversed the effects. "Been way too long since I've morphed, I better be careful if little things that make me angry will provoke it…" A wicked glint appeared in the depths of her chocolate brown irises. "But it doesn't mean that I can't find other ways to get back at you!"

"Wha-" He was about to ask, but his question trailed off when his friend raised her arm, and brought it down to slice at the lake's surface, sending a furious wave spraying into his face. "H-hey!" he gasped, almost choking down the water. She repeated her action and his hair was instantly soaked, while wet drops dribbled down along the sides of his head, curving around his earlobes and continuing to drip off his chin.

A fine sheen of drippy moisture covered the hard muscles of his chest and he shook his lean arms, sending small droplets flying onto her nose and lips. She was about to burst into laughter, but catching sight of his bared flesh and disheveled look make her sober up instantly, and she clasped a hand over her own mouth to stifle the sniggers. But it didn't stop the brown-haired girl from furtively peering at her companion, lightly biting her lip in disappointment when she saw the surface ending at a little above his waist, allowing her limited viewing access. Yet still, when a faint glow adapted to her eyes, she was able to see the water drops sliding down his pectoral muscles, slipping underneath the surface, taunting her with what they could touch and she could not.

The young feline swallowed hard and forced a giggle. "_That's_ what I meant."

"Grrrr…" he growled in surprise, and even a sliver of partial anger. "You're playing with fire, kitten."

She froze for a second, then remarked weakly, "Is that your new nickname for me or something?"

"It is better than more…cruder alternatives, don't you agree?" he hissed, gritting his teeth to prevent them from chattering.

Albeit taken back by his cold tone, she stammered uncertainly, "U-um, I…I guess…?"

Unknown to her, a devious smile played over his expression. Furtively clasping his hands together, he allowed water to drift into his palms, and then squirted his companion full on her face, as she did earlier to him. Before she could respond vocally, Kenji forcefully slapped the surface of the lake, sending more of the frigid liquid flying into her cheeks and forehead. She shrieked shrilly, shocked by the icy onslaught, coughing as she furiously tried to wipe the wetness away from her eyes, and then began to protest. But he merely raised two fingers - never one, for his trademark pose had become too familiar that it was now a part of him - and pressed them against her lips to silence her.

"Turnabout is fair play, my dear friend." He calmly explained to her as she backed away a little. "You know me well enough that I would not stand around and allow myself to be attacked, then not even set up a defensive response."

"For goodness sake, I wasn't **attacking** you," she countered, blinking rapidly to clear the blur of her vision. "And besides, you're the one who relayed that judgmental, lecherous remark first! …Aw great, I'm picking up on your vocabulary slingo…"

His eyes narrowed evenly. "Adequate. Perhaps you are finally beginning to display signs of maturing."

"What??" Uriko shot a cold glare in his direction. "You calling me immature?"

"If the comment fits."

She snorted, "It's 'if the _shoe_ fits', not 'comment'! Geez, maybe you really are anti-social…"

Her statement stung a sensitive chord in him, making his jaw twitch slightly. "......maybe you're right." He turned away from her, masking the flames of ire lurking in his pupils.

Her shoulders sank; she knew that she'd hurt his feelings. "I-I'm sorry, Kenji." She moved toward him, timidly placing her hand on his stiff forearm. "I didn't mean to say that, I swear-"

"You didn't mean to say the truth?" The male teenager sneered. "That's a first I've heard from you."

"…You're such a jerk," she blurted, annoyed with his attitude, giving him a small shove.

Slowly, he pivoted to face her, a dark look burning in his eyes. "So, if I'm a jerk, then what does that make you? Controller of all social life at our school, or nothing but a manipulative tease? I'm so sorry that I'm not as popular as you are, Miss Princess."

Her expression was crestfallen. "You're more popular than you think… and… and besides, the majority of those guys only want one thing from me, and when they find out I won't give it to them, they lose interest and move on." She sniffed soundlessly. "I-I hate… this…" she waved her hands down over her body, "I never asked for this… this figure, this bust, this waist, any of it!

"I mean, when I was fifteen, I ate a lot because I was trying to gain more weight so that I could lose this…body…but it just made me have more energy to train my Kenpo techniques, and I ended up only adding a few more pounds on." Her head hung low at the last remark. "Then puberty filled my body out and I'm back where I started."

Kenji grimaced, feeling a pang of guilt for previously condescending her; now he felt like the apologetic one, "I…I'm sorry, Uriko. I mean it this time, no sarcasm or snidely." It was she this time that turned around at his words, crossing her arms over her chest and hugging her sides in an attempt to keep herself from freezing to death. "You're upset with me, aren't you?"

"If the shoe fits."

"Back to that again?" Then, he noticed her shoulders quiver slightly. "Hey… are you cold…?" _Or are you crying…?_

"Y-y-yes!" She shuddered violently, her teeth chattering; her eyes were squeezed shut to hide the tears threatening to spill out. "Wh-wh-what else did you think??"

The ninja sighed remorsefully, then agilely glided over to her, closing the small distance between the two, extending and delving his arms underwater to circle them around her shivering waist. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on emitting body heat from his inner fire to bring her more tepidity and comfort, ignoring the cold that was numbing his own nerves. At his touch, Uriko began to squirm and tried to push his hands off of her, but she found that doing so would only reposition him lower, and stopped resisting. When faint warmth started gracing her back, and slowly spreading out to the rest of her figure, she was soothed by the serene glow and couldn't help but release a blissful mew. Albeit weakened by the drain of his energy in addition to the bitter iciness making him lose feeling in various parts of his limbs, he ended the invisible hotness treatment after a while.

"I'm sorry, my friend." He whispered, leaning towards her ear. "Forgive me."

She turned her head partway so that their eyes could meet and gave him a half-smile. "…Hrmp, I guess I'll have to."

"'Have to', hmm?" The mole zoanthrope tucked his face into the hollow space between her neck and shoulder, resting his chin on her wet skin. "What else must I do in order to have you willingly grant me forgiveness?"

"Do that…that heat thing," she stammered, unsure of what to label it. "I'm _pretty_ sure it was from you: there was this sudden warmth that I felt on my back, then it went to other places too… It felt so cool…"

"Cool?" he repeated while quirking an eyebrow but smirking playfully. "That wasn't my intention. I was trying to make you feel warm, Uriko. It's cold enough out here."

"So that was from you," she grinned. "Mmm, I wish I could do something like that!"

"It takes up quite a bit of my energy, depending on how long I do it," he informed her, "And since it's so chilly right now, it wavers my concentration, thus interfering with and shortening the length and amount of time that I can use that power."

"I guess fire really is your specialty then…" she murmured, ever-so-casually snuggling closer back to him, adoring the intimate feel of their bodies aligning with each other.

He gulped at her action; granted he knew and was used to his friend's random displays of coyness and playful teasing, but with their current situation it made his senses achingly aware of every aspect. Unable to speak due to the fact that she had rendered him tongue-tied; he let out a shaky sigh and lightly brushed his lips across her throat, then nuzzled her with his nose. She shivered in response, and Kenji froze, uncertain of what she meant with that movement, and then inwardly cursed himself for being insensitive to her condition. The girl lolled her head to the opposite side of where he was currently located, and mewed softly, wordlessly inviting him to her enticing sweetness.

"Uriko…" he said hoarsely, finally finding his voice, "What are you…?"

"That tickled," she chuckled giddily, fighting back the urge to turn around and grab him. "Do it again…"

"Erm… alright, I suppose…" the sixteen-year-old shrugged, unsure of what she intended of him.

His eyes nervously focused on her bare shoulder, and he gently pushed her long brown braid over to her front side with his cheek so that he could have easier access. Lean arms still embracing her tightly, he kissed her throat, lightly grazing his teeth against her skin, then blowing a small puff of his warm breath on her. Feeling a slight shiver wrack her body, he immediately pulled back, and Uriko pivoted her head so that they met face-to-face, an unidentifiable spark gleaming in her widened, dark-colored irises. An overwhelming desire to kiss her lips hit him, and he inwardly denied doing so, wanting to ask her permission before making such a move on his friend. But he was surprised when her eyes fluttered to a close, and she started leaning foreword, her mouth poised in that damned irresistibly alluring pout; he found himself moving towards her as well…

"Hoo! Hoo!" An owl noised just then, indirectly informing the two teenagers that dusk had arrived and the nocturnal animals were free to roam about the place as they pleased.

The moment ruined, the startled duo immediately backed away from each other, adverting their eyes in embarrassment, Kenji clearing his throat and his friend coughing for distraction. Calming the fiery sensations that had been licking at his nerves, he spoke nonchalantly, "Shall we leave now? We do have school tomorrow, after all."

"Huh? O-oh, sure…" she mumbled, shaking her head, trying to clear away the fog that was clouding her conscious thought. "Y-yeah, school tomorrow… hurray… can't wait…"

"Come on, out you go." He voiced, then ducked his head underneath the surface.

"…?" The Kenpo student looked around for her companion, bewildered as to why he slipped into the water again. All of a sudden, she felt something brush against the instep of her knees, and before she could blink in confusion, she was lifted up into the air with liquid ease. Gasping in surprise and at the coldness that seeped into her bared skin, the auburn-haired girl instantly felt her teeth began to chatter, and she clutched onto her schoolmate tightly. Holding her lightweight in his arms, he carried her out of the lake, her hands clasped around the back of his neck in support while her legs dangled freely. Strolling over to the changing bathhouse, the ninja set her down, conscientiously allowing her to get dressed into her normal clothes first before him.

Moments later, they were both in their original attires, and walking back towards the feline's house; Kenji wanted to see her home safely before driving off to return to his own residence. Hiding her awkwardness inside, the female student quickly unlocked the door and embraced him on her front porch, then shyly pecked his cheek before dashing inside. Left standing alone on the concrete steps, he blinked, baffled by her hot and cold actions; shrugging, he clutched his black shorts in one hand, and walked over to the sidewalk curb, where his car was parked. Getting out his keys and opening the driver's door, he slipped into his convertible and threw the swimming trunks on the passenger seat, then brushed his wet bangs away from his eyes.

Staring at his partial reflection in the rearview mirror, the quiet protagonist pictured Uriko gazing back at him, a teasing sparkle in her large brown pupils, a secret smile gracing her lips that was meant for him, and him only. The vivid memory of her in the red bikini from earlier stuck in his mind, and he especially remembered how smooth her doe-like skin felt pressed against his body. He recalled how her slender curves had seemed to align with his form comfortably, and the glowing expression in her eyes when she silently invited him to kiss her. If it weren't for that owl's interruption, what events would have followed? They'd kiss, but then how would they continue on from there, or even if anything at all, would happen after their simple, platonic action?

Suddenly, his insecurities regarding how limited his social and communication skills rushed back to flood his consciousness, making him worry about his next encounter with his friend. Releasing an unnerving sigh, he thought inwardly, _I think something's happening between Uriko and I… But then, what…what will happen to our friendship?_ Then, Kenji remembered his earlier flashback when he was at the lake, the one that he was sure had something to do with the events of the ever fateful night he couldn't recall anything about. Did something that happened then have some relevance to the inner primal urges that he had felt for his companion while he was embracing her What would he do if presented with a scenario one day that tested his sexual knowledge in which he had little, almost no experience with? Or so he thought, anyway.

Refusing to think about the more negative possibilities of what could shake their once-solid relationship; he turned on the ignition and pulled away from the curb. The self-revealing questions continued plaguing him all through the drive back to his home, and he finally came to a conclusion for one of the problems; _I have got to thoroughly study my old biology book when I get home…_


	10. Secret

****

Secret

He owned the students.

"Daki! Nice party on Sat, man!"

"Yeah! Throw another one soon!!"

An icy smirk gracing his lips, he casually waved a greeting back to a fellow scholar, and continued on his way, strolling down the hallway, heading for his locker. It was lunchtime, and he had lost his appetite when spying his pursuit with her best friend again, the two sitting together to dine; blast it all, when would that lovely auburn-haired creature ever glance in his direction? He was just as good a candidate, if not far better, than his rival, the lousy boy that trailed alongside her, practically glued to her hip and unwillingly to step away. All the while during his walk, catcalls and pleased whoops reached his ears, stretching a grin on his expression, boosting his ego and confidence as slowed when nearing his destination, winking at a passing female. Accompanied by a couple of her friends, she giggled and shooed her companions away, then bounced over to where he was leaning against the wall, flashing him a bright smile.

She twirled a lock of her dark red hair around her finger girlishly; the sunbeams reflected harsh glints off the heavy coating of sparkles over her eyelids, making Cronos blink and wince in reflex. "So, like, that party you had, teehee, it was great!" The girl gazed at him adoringly.

"Thank you," he replied, nodding stiffly but allowed a sly smile to form over his expression.

"Ooh, can you believe that Kenji-kun danced with me?" she squealed excitedly, grabbing a hold of his forearm, "He's so cute! But how did you _ever_ get him to go to your party?? I mean, no one's ever seen him outside of school!"

In a condescending tone of voice, the new student remarked, "I merely persistently invited him. It was his first party after all, and I must say he seemed to enjoy himself, being the center of attention with all those girls," his pupils turned hard and cold with jealousy, "Tell me, miss, is Ohgami considered… popular, in this school?"

Her head bobbed up and down enthusiastically in agreement. "Uh huh, he sure is! In gym class, he's really, like, good at basketball, so some of the jocks and other guys on the school team envy him so, like, they tease him sometimes! And some people have seen Kenji-kun running on the track after school too, and, like, they all say he's really fast, like, a real human racecar!"

She let out a little puffy sigh while Cronos refrained from snorting in bemusement at her overuse of the word "like". "All us girls love him, but he, like, only has eyes for that Uriko Nonomura chick. They both say that they're only, like, best friends, but she's the only girl that Kenji-kun would, like, get close to him, you know! And on top of that, a lot of guys at our school, like, totally have the hots for Uriko! This is, like, so not fair!"

The listener grinned slightly. "I admit I am smitten to her charms as well. However… I do not like seeing her so close with Ohgami. They are far too attached to claim that they are merely friends."

The girl gave him a blank look. "Um, okay, like, whatever… Anyway, I, like, saw him last dancing with Wendy Kesler before I, like, passed out from being so drunk," she giggled, "What happened after that? He didn't, like, sleep with her or anything, did he?"

"…" A dark gleam of realization glimmered in his emerald green eyes. A cruel smile betraying his lips, he leaned down close to his schoolmate's eager ears, and spoke smoothly, "Well, now. On the contrary…"

*****

"Alright, now, tell me again, why does this…event…always stir up so much excitement at school every year?"

The inquired stalled a moment, downing her bite of food with a swallow of soda before answering, sounding a bit exasperated, "Kenji, you asked me the same question when we were freshmen, then sophomores, now this year too; don't you remember what I've told you before?"

"That prom is 'a tradition, a blissful night of magic in which all high school graduates will retain in their memories for the rest of their lives'," he rolled his eyes, "But that doesn't really answer my question."

"You are so difficult sometimes," the girl shamelessly voiced her opinion, quirking a brow at her friend, who was sitting across from her in the corner-most long table of their school's lunchroom. "C'mon, admit, you wanna give prom night a try! You're a junior now, so you can go this year! Unless you'd rather sit there and keep on denying that you have interest in this annual event."

"I believe I'll stick with the latter choice." He replied with an evasive smirk. "It must be getting boring for you, this prom night. You've gone every year since you were a freshman, after all."

"No way, I'm not getting bored of prom night!" Uriko piped with a wide grin. "I love going, it's just that I don't love the guys that escort me, or some of the creeps at the prom. Did you know that last year, a senior jerk - thank goodness he's gone now - sneaked in some alcohol in a little flask, and was selling drinks to some of the other students?"

"How could I have knowledge of that? I wasn't present at the dance," her companion commented dryly, sliding his meal tray down the table and watching it fall off the edge directly into the trashcan at the end.

"Well, that's why I'm telling you," she poked him. "Anyway, he got caught right before they were going to announce the prom king and queen, and he was dragged out by a couple of standby policemen! There were rumors after that night about him being arrested for selling the alcohol."

"How impressively interesting." Kenji deliberately tried to sound monotonous and sarcastic. "That is the best story I have ever heard at this school. Thank you ever so much, for my life is now complete."

"Ooh!" She smacked his arm, which brought a grimace and a small smile to his face. "I'm just trying to show you my point, that prom night is really memorable, 'cause you never know what could happen there!"

At her words, the demons started harassing his mind just then, and the teenager groaned inwardly, holding his head as he shut his eyes, awaiting this new flashback to occur.

__

"Oh nooo… Stay… fun! Weekend… enjoy yourself…!"

It was brief, and he sighed in thankful relief of the short length, toning out whatever his friend was presently saying. _Stupid confusing dialogs… What does it all mean, what overall big pictures does it form when all pieced together in the proper positions?_ A deep frown creased his eyebrows. _Fours days have already passed since that night, and I still have no clue what happened on Saturday. Why must my memory fail me yet again, as it did two years ago after Busuzima toyed with and manipulated my mind?_

He averted twin suspicious brown eyes at the Kenpo student. _Uriko knows something aside from what she told me about my sickness… I can feel it… But she won't elaborate or delve into the topic further, why?_ A sigh drifted free from between his tightly shut lips. _Perhaps I am just being paranoid, and in reality, there's nothing to worry about._ But even as he considered that possibility, an inner instinct rejected that conjecture. _There's more depth to this story than the eye only being able to view what lies upon the surface level…_

"Um, hello? Kenji? You still listening…?" the feline zoanthrope's voice broke through his train of thought.

"Huh, wh-what?" he jolted out of his trance-like state, blinking in bewilderment and coughed, "S-Sorry, I was thinking about something."

"Well… sorry if my talking bores you so much," she noised crisply, trying to hide her annoyance. Shrugging aimlessly, she raised her soda can and drank the last of the bubbly liquid before tossing it into the trash, then readying her belongings to leave after a quick glance at the clock. "Lunch is almost over, Kenji. Come on, we gotta get going to class." She turned around to start heading for the lunchroom exits.

He took notice to her slight iciness, and arose from his seat, effortlessly jumping over the table, receiving awed sounds from watchful peers, and he landed next to his friend, quickly clamping a hold of her forearm to stop her procedure. Halted by his grip, Uriko pivoted to face him with some reluctance, spying the dark look of impatience of his eyes that contradicted his facial expression of striving to have her listen to his explanation. His hard gaze pierced her, a tiny flames flickering about the edges of his irises, and held the female teenager firmly in her standing position. "Look, I apologize for not being completely attentive to you, but I have my own pondering to endure, my own questions to scroll through my mind while I try to solve the quizzical mysteries. You know that I respect you; however, your previous topic of conversation merely held little of my interest at the time-"

The bell rang just then, and interrupted him while he was in the middle of talking, and he swore under his breath; his companion nodded in what he hoped to mean that she understood. Sighing, he released his hold and she gave him a half-smile, while the ghost of a sparkle lingered in her pupils, and then she squeezed his forearm briefly before walking off again. While other students loudly clattered their ways out of the lunchroom and toward the halls to proceed to their next classes, the ninja sat back down onto the table bench. Fully aware that he had less than five minutes to spare if he wanted to get to his next period on time, he inhaled sharply and absentmindedly ran a hand through his dark blue hair. His lips tightly pursed, he wondered, why was he bickering with his friend so much lately?

The two rarely were ever entangled in verbal arguments with each other prior to the strange, somehow eventful weekend that had just passed. In fact, the last memorable fight they had that Kenji vividly recalled was perhaps around a little over a year ago, after the mysterious beast crest sign had kept many zoanthropes bustling and worrying about the effects. The pair was separated for quite a while, since he'd gone off and left her behind, to assist his older brother organize the human and zoanthrope peace relations group. When the commotion died down, he tried to restore their bruised friendship, but she had refused to associate with him again, presumably fearing that he would run off again some other day. It wasn't until the young mole had vowed to protect her during a surprise attack by an enigmatic, metallic zoanthrope that she'd finally forgiven him.

So what was happening now? Why did Uriko seem so irritable lately? He couldn't put his finger on it, and in addition to her puzzling attitude, the sixteen-year-old male was also continuously baffled by the events that had occurred the night that remained foggy in his memory. A frown of annoyance marred his brows, and he finally arose from his seat when the one-minute warning bell echoed off the walls surrounding the quiet lunchroom. Slinging the strap of his backpack over his shoulder, the cobalt-haired student gritted his teeth and furtively allowed his enhanced skills to assist him in quickly darting through the hallway to his next class. At least there were still **some** forms of stability that he could rely on; though he wished his friend's assurance of their relationship maintaining would be one of them.

*****

"Ohgami's team won again. Figures."

The jade-haired teenager snorted at his fellow student as ascended into a standing position from the locker room bench, and pulled up his coarse yellow pants, zipping it securely. "You speak as if we were slaughtered by their performance."

"Daki, you don't think 18-32 is bad enough?" his team member countered in disbelief. "Especially in Coach Jillun's class, you know she grades us on how many games we win!"

"Hey, don't be ragging on Ohgami." Another guy a few yards away that was slamming his small gym locker shut retorted, shaking his head as if he thought the two conversing people were overreacting. "Our team lost against his too, but we aren't sore losers about it. And besides, it isn't just Ohgami carrying his whole team; two of the other players are on the school's varsity basketball, so what else do you expect from a good team like that?"

The new student's teammate grunted and waved the voice of reason off. "Hrmp, whatever man, stay outta our business, this doesn't concern you."

"You're very welcome," came the sarcastic reply as the male teenager smirked and took his leave.

"Conceited ruffian," Cronos growled lowly, then retrieved his schoolbag and prepared to exit the locker room as well.

On his way out, he bumped into another figure, and his head jerked up to identify whom it was; he was met with Kenji's solemn, nonchalant face. _…What an unfortunate coincidence,_ he thought irritably.

"Excuse me," the ninja spoke calmly, stepping aside to continue proceeding out past the exit.

The jade-haired teenager quirked a brow in curiosity, then decided to trail after the boy, catching up to him and casually slung an arm around his shoulder. "Hey, Ohgami. How is it going?"

Taken by surprise, the mole zoanthrope lurched away from his grasp, relaxing only about a hair when he saw who was greeting him. "Oh. Hey, Cronos. I'm all right. And you?" He began to stride toward the quad, the center of all the connections to the numerous hallways leading around the school's vast area space.

"Slow down, Ohgami," Cronos protested, tailing the other student once again. "I am doing quite well. Impressive game your team played in basketball today; beat us for the second time since the activity started."

"Thank you," was the younger teenager's stiff reply as he hid a snort of carelessness and mingled into the crowds all piling into the hallway at once.

"Hey! Kenji-kun!" A female voice called out nearby him, and he inwardly groaned at the alias.

Nevertheless, he felt obligated to turn and look at the girl, who pushed her way to stand next to him, and he reluctantly voiced a reply, "Hello."

She giggled shrilly, and girlishly coiled a lock of her maroon-colored hair around her finger. "I can't believe that Wendy got you first!"

Kenji frowned, grateful that the crowd had thinned out considerably, so that there weren't many people lingering in the area to hear him ask gruffly, "What are you talking about?"

"I mean, me and my friends, like, always thought that Uriko would, like, be your first, you know! Now, all the girls are, like, gonna be _soooo_ jealous of Wendy instead!" Her unbelievably high-pitched tone was scratching into his eardrums, and he quickly grew irritated of her constant giggling.

A thin sheen of icy coldness glazed over his eyes and registered along with his confusion. "Excuse me? What do you mean by, 'my first'?"

"Oh, come on! You don't have to, like, pretend you didn't do it!" She beamed him a toothpaste-commercial wide grin, and laid her palm on his forearm, trickling her fingers upon the short sleeves of his dark blue shirt.

"......" he firmly grasped her wrist, and removed her hand away from him. "I am not pretending. Now tell me, and be precisely clear, in what the hell you are talking about."

"Ohhh!" she gasped aloud, covering her mouth, which caused her next words to sound muffled, "This was supposed to kept a secret, huh! Oh my gosh, I didn't know!" She appeared flustered, as she was waving her hands before her face, looking like she was fanning herself.

"Secret? What is?!" He demanded, raising his volume a notch higher.

"Ohhh, now I hafta, like, go tell my girlfriends not to, like, spread it around!" The girl exclaimed shrilly, then whirled in a direction and dashed off before Kenji could question her further.

_Secret? What the hell was that girl talking about??_ He wondered as he scowled, really starting to despise the way that it seemed everyone knew something important, but they were all concealing their knowledge from him. A hand suddenly slapped his shoulder just then, and he jolted in surprise, turning his face to glance at the smirking face of the new student. The ninja couldn't help rolling his eyes, and shrugged off the contact as he strolled into the hallway, heading toward his following period, wanting to be left alone. Getting the hint, Cronos' grin stretched wider, and he tilted his nose toward the ceiling, sunlight gleaming off the spidery strands of his light green tress, and walked past his rival.

Unable to resist taking one last poke at him, he looked over his shoulder, and called back, "Hey, Ohgami! Do you not just hate it when it seems like everyone knows something about you that you have no conclusive idea about? I would absolutely detest if a dire secret was being kept from me; would you not feel the same way as well if you were presented with such a situation?" Leaving the mole zoanthrope gaping silently after his retreating figure, the jade-haired student laughed coolly, and continued on his way.

Angrily glaring at his back, a snarl bubbled deep in Kenji's throat as his eyes shot invisible daggers foreword, fiery ire emitting from his attitude as he stomped over to his next class. As he slid into his seat, surrounding students peered at him with unreadable grins and other expressions on their faces, and he merely scowled at them in reply. The teacher resumed control over the class, but he paid little attention to the lecture, and instead thought, _I am tired of all these baffling questions and puzzles. I must find answers soon, or I fear that my anger will raise hell._


	11. Friend

****

Friend

Ghostly, breathy sighs… deep, throaty moans… coy, low whispered cooing… The sounds all drifted by his ears, enticing his interest, and his eyes reflected a confused look, while the protagonist took in the rest of the sights. His vision became blurry and he was barely able to make out his surroundings, only sure that he was currently moving down a shadowy pathway. Every so often, distorted bodies writhing together would briefly flicker in the corners of his eye, and they were all basked in shady lighting that hid their identities. Periodic flashing made him faintly think of a television viewing, but the possibility of knowing what its content were was instantly eliminated as suddenly, the teenage male was roughly yanked away from the setting.

__

"Hey… Nice… gathering… Stayed quite… Have to go… Thanks… Inviting me…"

"Oh, nooo… Longer… Some fun… Weekend… Enjoy yourself…"

Something cool was placed in his hand just then, and the tingling sensation of icy liquid sliding down his throat made the student jerk reflexively.

__

"Kenji-kun… Dance…" A firm grip clutched his arm, and refused to let go, forcing him to obey the command.

_Dance…?_ The ninja wondered as he tried to shake his head in denial even as he felt himself be pulled away from his current position. _But I don't know how to dance…_

Somehow, even without his consent, his body began swaying to the rhythm of techno music weaving through the air that he just became aware of. Multiple figures moved near him, and then left a while later, only to have more replacements fill in the unoccupied spots around him. His face was touched all over: stick-thin fingers trailing down along his cheek, cupped palms grazing against the bottom of his chin, while other hands tickled his forehead. Incoherent murmurs were meaningless to him, as he couldn't make out the words, but he didn't care much anyhow about little chitchat that served him no benefits.

__

"Do you wanna go somewhere more private, and…play…with me? I promise you'll have a great time…"

The aforementioned sentence played in his mind full and clearly. But what significance did it uphold?

_"Do you wanna go somewhere more private… Play with me…"_

The sixteen-year-old attempted to mumble in refusal, but the words still rang in his consciousness, repeating and taunting him.

_"Go somewhere more private… Play with me…"_

*****

"No!"

The shout burst free from Kenji's lips as he lurched up from his bed, heavy breaths wracking his chest and perspiration formed a thin sheen of sweat glazing across his forehead. Blinking his eyes at the bleakness that met his view, it took him a few minutes to realize the current nighttime that plagued his room with dark shadows. His hands ached just then, and he glanced down at them, seeing his fists clenched so tightly that his nails had probably dug far enough into his palms to create small indentations. Releasing his strong grip, the male zoanthrope exhaled deeply, allowing his tension to escape from his stiffened muscles while questions continued to whirl in his preoccupied mind.

_Dancing… dancing…_ he felt bewildered by the information bestowed to his knowledge from the dream. _The last time I went dancing was when Uriko and I went to the Sadie's Hawkins… but that had to have been over a year ago._ His expression twisted to match his bewilderment. _And what relevance does this 'playing' business have? I don't play anything. My life leaves no room for such nonsense with school, studying, and training._

Kenji forced his shoulders to drop and sighed; pressing a hand against his forehead while he shook his head and mumbled confused nothings to himself. His nerves and senses were achingly aware of his sudden insomnia, and he gritted his teeth as he slipped out of his bed. The weekend mystery still sent inquiries soaring through his thoughts, even when he had finally decided not to worry about it anymore after Cronos' strange question to him earlier in the day. When the ninja had sent his best friend back to her home after school, she didn't seem to show any signs of significant interest when he'd casually brought up that ditzy red-haired girl's proclamations. She had just shaken her head, and mumbled something incoherent underneath her breath that was so low he didn't catch what she said.

_I'm driving myself insane over nothing._ He thought to himself with slight exasperation. _I **am** being paranoid._

The mole zoanthrope slowly strolled over to his bedroom window, and unlocked the hatches before pushing open the twin glass doors. He pressed his open palms against the chilly wooden sill and leaned partial weight on his forearms for support as his face tilted upward. Shady, troubled brown eyes roamed the starry black night, exploring the vast bleakness that resembled the same soulless feeling reflecting in the dark, confused pupils. The cobalt-haired teenager swept his gaze down over the tips of the treetops scattered around the various front yards of his neighborhood, spying the ebony outline of birds lurking within the spidery branches. A crescent sliver of the moon hung in the midst of small blinking stars, spreading pale white light gleaming over the ground-level setting, save for the spots that hid away in the shadows.

All the while during his scouring, a heavy emptiness lodged itself in his throat, and his breathing became strained and slightly erratic, his facial features masked with an emotionless expression as though he could portray no other alternative. The male student barely acknowledged a shrill screeching noise when his fingernails scraped against the windowsill as he tightly balled up his hands into fists. Admiring the quiet, peaceful environment just made him envy the easiness, and reminded him of his bafflement through his adolescence puzzles and hardships. He truly possessed the spirit of a grown man that was merely trapped in the body of a teenage boy; his experiences ran farther and longer than those of many in his age range. And yet, he had to struggle and undermine himself to understand the language of youths, but still had trouble with socializing, earning him a private, enigmatic profile at school. 

_This is a beautiful, serene night._ A ghost of a smirk played over his lips. _Well, then… why do I feel so perturbed?_

Shaking his head, he started to turn back toward his room, but then a faint glow in the distance caught his attention; when Kenji realized that it was coming from the area where his best friend's house was a few blocks away, he quirked a brow in curiosity. He pivoted to glance in that direction, silently wondering, _Could she still be awake right now…?_ At that moment, he wished more than anything that he were with his female companion, so that the two could converse, and perhaps she could answer some of the questions that drove him to the heights of frustration. _But, hmm… Maybe…_

Stealing a quick glance at the square frame atop his bureau, the ninja caught sight of his friend's heart-shaped face and the angelic smile curving her lips. One eyelid hid her chocolate brown irises, as in the picture she was in her taunting pose, winking and sticking her tongue out playfully at the viewer. The sixteen-year-old male couldn't help but let a partial grin grace his expression; she had that shot taken at the Sadie's Hawkins dance a while back, after snorting at his refusal to be in it with her. And even though the feline had seemed a bit irritated with his attitude, she gave him the picture to keep, it was quite strange, how the ties of friendship worked between them.

_It must be past midnight,_ Kenji confirmed his assumption by peering at his digital clock. _I would be intruding… But what if… What if she's still awake anyway?_ After a short dispute with his conscience, his curiosity and need won over, and he pulled open a drawer from his bureau to retrieve suitable attire for the upcoming nightly visit to his friend. _Well… only one way to find out for sure is to go see for myself… _He glanced over at his keys, but dismissed them with a wave of his hand, deciding that if he were going to possibly disturb the Kenpo student's rest, he should at least partially redeem for it by walking to her house on foot.

__

I hope there is an utterly bizarre chance that Uriko is not asleep… was his last thought as he stealthily sneaked past his brother's room, tiptoed downstairs and sailed out the front door.

*****

"Ugh… I hate math…"_ Honestly… it should be illegal to give students homework more than three nights a week…_

Comforted by weak lighting from her desk lamp, Uriko remained in her slouched position over her math textbook, one hand gripping her head as if she were in pain. Her eyelids drooped slightly from fatigue, but she struggled to stay awake and finish the homework assignment, inwardly maledicting teachers for putting students through such daily torture. She tried unscrambling her brain to tediously work out the next problem, continuing to deprive her weary body of sleep and swallowing the yawns that strove to surface in her throat. The chilly wind breezing into her room due to her open windows had been the only thing keeping her senses aware, but even now the coldness was becoming numb and unnoticeable.

Releasing a sleepy sigh, she felt her head slide down against the length of her arm, stopping only when it met the cool top of her desk. The girl wanted to fight it, but maybe just a few minutes of rest wouldn't hurt… just a few minutes, then she'd go back to finishing her homework. After all, she was already in fitting sleepwear; comfortable in her thin white nylon shirt and dark navy jean shorts, she felt her eyelids slide down shut and her breathing grow slow and serene. The Kenpo student shifted her armrest where her head was lying upon it, and snuggled into the cushion as her lips parted in sleepiness.

"I wasn't aware of the fact that homework bored you to sleep…" an amused-sounding voice lightly teased from behind her.

"…? Who's there??" Startled, Uriko quickly jumped up from her chair and pivoted around, banging her foot against one of the posts of her desk, griping in complaint, "Ow! Darn it!"

Her visitor was perched on her windowsill; the outline of his body length stretched across her soft carpet floor and his head of dark hair wavered when he flinched in response to her reaction of his presence. But then, he resumed his stiff pose, his form facing hers and he had one knee bending down and its partner up at waist level, his left arm outstretched while the other was creased at an angle near his chin. The black short-sleeved shirt and matching colored slacks that he donned just made his stance seem tainted with malice, definitely most intimidating to her current position. Two fingers poised a mere sliver of distance away from his nose, and when the young feline squinted, she could see that his eyes were closed. "…Kenji?"

Immediately, his eyelids sprang open and a diminutive smile made its way over his expression as he calmly greeted, "Good evening, Uriko."

She blinked in reflex. "Um… hi!" Inwardly scolding herself for her high-pitched reply, her brows knit together in a slight frown. "Hey… um, what are you doing here? It's kinda late…"

"I know." He spoke, slowly rising from his spot and descending his feet to the ground. "I apologize for disrupting your rest."

"Ah, well, it's okay, really," the auburn-haired teenager dismissed the issue with a wave of her hand. "I'm supposed to be finishing up this stupid homework assignment anyway, and I'm so tired that I kinda dozed off… It's a good that you came to wake me up."

He nodded slightly, taking a few steps toward her as he tilted his head to the side a little. "At least I'm of some use."

"Huh?" She cast him a suspicious look. "What do you mean 'some use'?"

Silence was his only response as his attention averted elsewhere, his dark eyes curiously glanced at her desk, at where her textbook lied with binder paper stuck in-between two pages. "You need better lighting than that, or you will hurt your eyesight."

Rolling her eyes, she slammed the cover shut and pushed the heavy object away from her. "What are you, my mother?"

A rare teasing glint shimmered in his pupils. "Since she won't be present for the next few weeks, _someone_ must substitute into her role."

"Alright, alright," the cat zoanthrope relented, holding her hands up. Shaking her head but giggling quietly, she strolled over to her bed and sat on it, patting her hand on the mattress in an invitation to her friend. He seemed a bit nervous as he cleared his throat and looked down while proceeding to her location, and taking a seat beside her. She noticed his rigid posture, and grinned, "You can relax, Kenji, I don't bite. I just scratch."

He chuckled softly, visibly releasing some of the tension in his body.

"So…" she peered at him curiously, lifting her legs up onto her bed to cross them and rest her forearms on her knees. "What's up? You don't usually come visit me this time of night, hehe." _Except for last Saturday, that is, _her mind helpfully chimed in.

"......" He turned to face her, and his expression grew serious. "Uriko, I have been plagued with flashbacks lately."

She quirked an eyebrow. "…Flashbacks? What do you mean?"

"Flashbacks displaying to me situations and events that I don't understand myself," Kenji appeared irritated at that tidbit of information. "I believe they relate to something that may have occurred last weekend" - she briefly revealed a hint of panic, then hastily wiped it away from her face - "yet I have no reliable knowledge of them. What does this mean? Am I going insane? Or is there something serious that I have done but somehow have forgotten about, and whatever incident it was is now trying to surface in my mind to let me know of my most recent sin?"

"No! Oh, Kenji. You're always worrying about doing bad things…" His companion sighed, but he wasn't sure if it was in sympathy or perhaps it was partially from… relief? "Maybe your mind is just playing tricks on you. Like, you had an intense dream one night, but then you forgot about it, and now your memory is just trying to bring it back up again. It's really no big deal, I'm sure. Don't worry about it."

He nodded uncertainly. "I suppose you could be right." His cloudy brown irises appeared bothered however, as if he didn't truly believed her theory. _It is about something more than that… I am certain of it…_ he gazed at the sixteen-year-old female intently, perturbed when he spied her looking down, fidgeting with the ends of individual strands of her hair. _And an instinctive feeling is irking at me that perhaps Uriko knows more about this than she is voicing._ "…Uriko."

Her hands let go of her tress and she glanced up at him. "Yeah?"

"You didn't even ask me what the flashbacks were about."

"Oh! Right!" She attempted a carefree laugh, but it transformed into a weak cough that made him raise an eyebrow in concern. "Sorry. What were the flashbacks about?"

The mole zoanthrope shrugged and remarked nonchalantly, "No need to inquire if you are not interested."

"Hey, I am, really!" She insisted, scowling a little. "I'm just tired, you know!" He gave her a guilty look, and opened his mouth as if to apologize. "No, don't gimme that look, Kenji. I don't want you to be sorry. I'm glad that you trust me enough as a friend to come and tell me what problems you have, and don't doubt for a moment that I'd turn you away if you needed someone to listen to you! My brain may be malfunctioning right now, but I'm still listening to you, I swear. Just… don't get mad if I take a while to respond, okay?"

The ninja nodded slowly. "Alright. Thank you for your patience and compassion."

His friend smiled smoothly. "No problem. Now, go ahead and tell me about those flashbacks of yours…"

He exhaled a deep breath, then began to speak, "I had the first one last Sunday, in the morning, when I first awoke with that horrible migraine wracking my senses. I'd been trying to remember what happened the night before, and that was when the flashback had hit me, but it merely consisted of broken dialog, so I didn't think much of that at first."

"Hmm…" she noised, crossing her arms over her chest. "Go on…"

"The second one was very brief, only one line if I recall correctly," Kenji continued, a slight frown creasing his brows. "It happened in school earlier today-or, wait, since it is past midnight now, I guess that would really make it yesterday." The teenage girl giggled at his technicality. "And anyway, that hadn't made much sense to me, so I wrote it off."

A shrill sigh escaped from the corner of his mouth. "The third and most recent… This one was a dream. In fact, I just had it not long ago; I woke up from the dream approximately a little under an hour prior to my arrival here to your house." His eyes met hers, and she could see specks of confusion lingering within his shady pupils, sensed his bewilderment, and was aware of his dire need to solve the dilemma that was clearly baffling him. "Again, the trend of broken dialog issued, but this time, I was presented with blurry…pictures, that could possibly help me along with the unfolding scene."

Uriko made a pouting mew of sympathy, and gently placed her hand over his, encouraging him softly, "What happened in your dream, Kenji?"

"I…I don't know…" he mumbled, hanging his head in defeat. "I mean, I think… correction, I knew, that there were other people around. Wherever I was, it was dark… and I remember someone asking me to dance, and I wanted to refuse, but then I got tugged away against my will, yet I didn't fight it. Also… while I was dancing, I suppose, I kept getting touched." A soundless growl rumbled in the Kenpo student's throat; as if reading her mind, he clarified, "It was just on my face. I don't think I was touched any elsewhere," he snorted in disapproval, "…at least, I sincerely hope not."

"Sounds rough…" she commented while casting her large, compassionate eyes full of adoration on him. "You must've been really creeped out by all that when you woke up."

"To say the least," he agreed, returning her gaze, and then his expression turned thoughtful. "One thing that I found peculiar…"

"Oh yeah?" 

"A single line etched itself into my mind just as I was waking up… A line that rang clearly in my subconscious state when other parts of dialogs were just senseless words striving to be linked together into a full sentence."

"And what was that?" she inquired curiously.

He closed his eyes and quote softly, "'Do you wanna go somewhere more private, and…play…with me? I promise you'll have a great time…'"


	12. Betray

****

Betray

_'Play with me'?_ The cat zoanthrope scrunched up her face into a look of distaste. "That sounds **so** wanton," she blurted aloud.

Her friend portrayed a curious expression. "Wanton? Why would that be your response to the aforementioned sentence?"

Remembering his naïveté nature, Uriko sighed and shook her head. "Do you know what that means? To 'play'?" She displayed two hooked fingers to emphasize on the hidden meaning of 'play', and in addition, raised her eyebrows to try and send him a wordless message.

He started to open his mouth and confirm the answer, but then caught sight of her current facial features and instead spoke, "Enlighten me."

She heaved a shrill breath. "Okay… These days, when people say 'play' they really mean… Ahem, well…" she cleared her throat, "They mean it in a provocative way."

"Provocative." The ninja repeated, a blank stare inhibiting his eyes.

"Yeah… Um, Kenji, you do know what foreplay is, right? I hope?"

"The acts a couple engages in prior to having sexual intercourse." He replied blatantly.

Light pink blush fanned over the girl's cheeks. "U-Uh huh… A-And that's pretty much what 'play' means these days. It's kinda like foreplay, as in, if a girl invites you to 'play' with her, it usually means that she really wants something way, way more than that."

"To attain consummation." Kenji sounded strangely calm and was brazen with his speaking, while the eerie shadows dancing about his face from the weak lighting of her desk lamp made her shiver inwardly.

She blushed more deeply, giggling nervously as she remarked, "Sheesh, you sure are acting bold tonight!"

"I see no reason to be otherwise," he answered, shrugging aimlessly. "After all, you are the only one that I would ever be this open to, the only person I would bestow so much trust upon." A faint sparkle in his irises winked at her. "Aren't the responsibilities of a best friend astonishing."

"Well…"

_Ring, ring!_

Uriko jolted in surprise when her phone rang, and then gave her friend an apologetic smile as she walked over to her desk and picked up the receiver. _Who could be calling this late at night?_ "Hello?"

"Hey girl!!" An excited female voice slightly pained her sensitive hearing.

"…Erika?" The sixteen-year-old blinked. "Why are you calling at this time of nigh-"

"You won't believe what just happened!" The enthusiastic speaker barreled onward. "I am now coming back from a ride with Joseph Riley! He came to my workplace and sent me home when I finished, and when we arrived at my house, he asked me to go to the prom with him!!"

"Wow, really?" the feline chuckled faintly. "Hey, congrats, I know you've had the biggest crush on him since ninth grade."

Her male companion glanced over at her with a partial smirk gracing his lips though he could only hear half of the conversation going on.

"Yeah, ooh, I can't wait until the prom!"

"You and Joseph will have the greatest time, I just know it."

Erika sighed, sounding like she was nearly swooning through the telephone line. "Uriko, what about you? Who are you going with this year?"

The Kenpo student coughed. "I'm not going to the prom this year."

The ninja sent a blank look in her direction, feeling a bit curious about what her words meant.

"Whaaat?" was the girl's unbelieving exclamation; "You must be kidding! You went the last two years, why not this year?"

"Simple, because no one that has asked me is even partially decent," Uriko shrugged, even knowing that her friend obviously couldn't see her action. "The guys I went with the last two years before asked me, but I think one experience with each of them is enough for a lifetime.

And a couple of seniors have asked me too, but I turned them down because they don't exactly have… well, reliable and trusting reputations… But that's okay, don't worry about me, Erika, I'm not gonna be depressed or anything if I don't go to prom. It's not that I don't want to and all, but if I go stag, then I might feel a little left out since my other friends have dates and will be spending time with them, you know what I mean?"

"Okay, yeah, I know…" the other girl sighed a bit disdainfully. "Geez, why don't you just go with Kenji?"

"Go with Ke-" the cat zoanthrope remembered that he was in her room, and quickly bit off her sentence, flashing a quick smile at the male student before replying back to Erika, "Not a real good option there. Can't force people to go to prom if they don't want to, right?"

"Uh huh, I guess not." Her friend sounded disappointed. "Well, sorry for calling so late, but I just wanted you to be the first to know about Joseph asking me to the prom, and now that you know, I'll let you off, okay?"

"All right. 'Night, Erika," the auburn-haired teenager spoke, and hung up the phone, heaving a shaky breath and glancing down at the floor before walking over to her friend. "Sorry about that."

"No problem." Kenji's expression was nonchalant, displaying no particular feeling or emotion toward the phone conversation. 

"Anyway, back to our conversation earlier, I wouldn't be one to call those things you listed as responsibilities, really," the Kenpo student disagreed, "It should just come naturally to listen to each other whenever needed, be there in times of distress to soothe and comfort."

He slowly shook his head, voicing quietly, his tone slightly bitter, "Your compassion and conscientiousness make me ashamed of my in-drawn, selfish behavior, Uriko."

"Hey, you're not selfish!"

"Oh, but I am." The mole zoanthrope cast weary, angst-filled eyes in her direction. "If it hadn't been for your influence, I would presumably still be the distraught youth hanging on the edge of sorrow and despair, the same status I was at fourteen. Though I try to optimistically think of the brightened future awaiting me, I often find myself wondering about what could have been, doubting my past, my own character."

A fine sheen of moisture shimmered in his pupils that made his friend bite her lip, but he quickly blinked them away into nonexistence upon seeing her action. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to keep bringing up more problems for you to deal with. Sometimes, I feel that I don't deserve you as a companion, an ally, a… a friend, because I can't offer anything worthy of your attention. I honestly don't know what you see in me." He closed his eyes and bowed his head low, exhaling a shuddering sigh as the hollow and empty feeling of depression began to claw its way up his throat, striving for release. Grinding his teeth in response, his hands clenched into fists at his sides, gripping a deathly iron hold of the bed's dove-white sheets, crushing the material into his palms.

"Kenji…" A pained look crossing her expression, the young feline all of a sudden lurched up from her sitting position at her friend, and wrapped her arms around his neck comfortingly. Her eyes tightly squeezed shut, she fought back tears of sympathy that threatened to spill and instead concentrated on embracing the lean teenager warmly. She desperately wished that he could finally be free of all the darkness that plagued his thoughts, intoxicated his mind and heart, and prevented him from achieving redemption. If only she could exchange her own cheerfulness and loving enthusiasm for life with his shadowed and black attitude; at least she would know how to convert them into exultation over time.

Kenji raised his arms and encircled her slender waist, holding his friend in a firm, tense hug, so strongly that she felt almost breathless, but the girl ignored the slight discomfort and laid her bare cheek against the cool skin of his. Lifting one of his hands, he repositioned it to lie upon the small of her back, feeling the small tremors that shook her body through the thin nylon of her nightshirt. Sheering guilt mercilessly invaded and attacked his mind at that moment regarding how he brought down her mood and caused her to experience the angst and pain that he should have only endured himself. Suddenly angry that he had forced her to suffer the gloom that tormented most of his waking moments, the palm resting on her back balled into a stiff fist, crumpling a small bunch of her upper body attire into his hand the process.

__

Pathetic and worthless… the evil voice that forever would linger in his mind taunted, _Using pity to gain attention from your…'friend'. That tactic won't gain you love from her, you fool. She will never feel anything for you more than platonic emotions…_ The sixteen-year-old male gritted his teeth, at that moment ominously wanting to strike one of the surrounding sturdy walls with his fist in frustration.

"I'll always be your friend… You don't have to doubt my loyalty…" he heard her whisper just then, her words making his ears perk up in rigid attention.

"Thank you…" was his soft murmur back.

But when he felt her body relax and realized that her rhythmic breathing was calm and serene, he wasn't sure if she had received his reply, and presumed that she had finally succumbed to the sleep that she'd stubbornly deprived her consciousness of for quite some time. Smiling a little bitterly, the cobalt-haired ninja released his hold on the girl, and let her form gently slump in his arms while a sleepy sigh drifted out of her mouth. Slightly rising off his knees, he brushed aside the sheets with one hand and gently laid his friend upon her bed, covering her figure with the warm blanket. Reaching an arm toward her face, Kenji lightly stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers, then tucked a part of her long brown bangs behind her ear.

Thinking back to the phone conversation she had earlier with Erika, a confused smirk formed over his tightly pressed-together lips. To know that his female companion would not be going to the prom due to the scum of candidates she had lined up for her made him feel more at ease in his heart. But there was slight forlornness taking inhibiting his mood regarding the fact that she wouldn't let herself attend an event that she wanted to because of unworthy adversaries trying to capture her attention. A sense of protection overwhelmed his emotions at that moment, and he had a fierce desire to pick her lightweight form up and just hold her securely in his arms.

"Sleep well, dear kitten." He whispered as he leaned over and quickly grazed her forehead with his lips before arising from the mattress and ascending to his feet. The sixteen-year-old wanted to stay in her room the rest of the night and watch over Uriko, since he had already promised to guard her, although she didn't know that he would also sacrifice his very life for her safety without a second thought. But he knew it would be rude and disrespectful to remain in the vicinity of her privacy in that matter without asking her permission, so he turned to look at the window. As the male student proceeded to her desk to flick off the lights, he was about to grab the small black knob when he noticed the heavy textbook sitting adjacent to the lamp.

Striding over to the open doorframes, Kenji pushed them shut together, before walking back to the desk. Stealing a furtive glance back at his friend, a slow smile spread over his lips, and he easily slipped into the unoccupied chair, taking a seat and slid the book along the smooth brown surface down toward him.

*****

"Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!"

"Uhhhhh…"

A loud yawn escaping from between the young feline's lips, she reached her hand down around the edge of her bed, and shut off her noising alarm clock. Lazily stretching her arms up above her head, she remained in her lying position for a few minutes before sighing and reluctantly sitting up onto her rear. Glancing around her sun-brightened room, a confused look grazed her expression as she recalled her friend stopping over just hours prior, and wondered when he had left. Her sleep-wavered eyes settled onto the textbook sitting upon her desk, and she gasped, remembering her unfinished homework. She threw off her blanket, and hastily leaped out of her bed yet still managed to land on the floor with gently padded feet; she grabbed the front cover of the book and flipped through the pages until she reached the one with her assignment sheet tucked inside.

Gazing at the paper, she was surprised to discover that her schoolwork was already done, the rest of her problems neatly filed down and the convenience of an answer column occupied the right margin. Blinking in slight bewilderment, the Kenpo student raised one arm to tuck it behind her head, resting her palm against the back of her neck, an action provoked by whenever she felt baffled about a certain situation. On the opposite page of where her homework lied, was a half-sheet of notebook paper, and she untangled herself from the pose to inspect the simple, neatly written message on it more closely.

Now you don't need to worry about your homework. Hope you had sweet dreams. I'm sorry that I won't be able to pick you up and give you a ride to school later on, but I have an errand I must run in the morning. I will come to your locker approximately five minutes before the first period rings; please meet me there if you have nothing else planned with your other friends.

Kenji

P.S. Thank you for being such a good listener, as well as a direly remarkable friend last night. Every word you have spoken will be taken to heart.

A beautiful smile lit up Uriko's slightly blushing features as she absorbed his affectionate words, clutching the note to her chest tightly. "He's so sweet…"

*****

__

Perhaps I have arrived a bit too early.

A quivering hand nervously running through tousled dark blue bangs, the male student remained resolutely posted near a particular locker in the lengthy, winding school hallway. Most of the other teenage scholars who passed by him didn't offer anything more than a quick glance before continuing on their way about their own business. A few girls that had noticed the freshly earth-born rose tucked securely within his fist briefly paused to admire the baby soft petals that splayed a crimson red color over the skin of his hand. The long green stem stretched down near the distance of a foot while the smoothness of the surface caressed his palm, and he was thankful for the absence of its native thorns. One female had asked him what was the purpose of his rose purchase, and he merely answered that it was well deserved, and how he wished he had done so sooner.

"Oooh, Kenji-kun has his eye on someone…" the same girl teased coyly before her boyfriend managed to gently push her on to walking away.

__

They may think what they will. The ninja shot her a brief cool glare, then slipped his hand into his pocket and looked down at what he pulled out: two rectangular yellow tickets. On each of them were the artfully scripted words printed, "One admission to the 'Confession Night' Prom Event in the year of 2017". An amused partial smirk formed over his lips, and he tucked the tickets away as he waited through more passing minutes for his friend to arrive at her locker.

"Wow, that's **so** incredibly nice of you." An elegant voice smoothly commented from close beside him.

He didn't recognize the speaker as Uriko, so he was hesitant in turning his head to glance to his right, meeting the vibrant jade green eyes of a girl with fiery red hair. "Hello, uh… Cindy…"

"Wendy," she corrected him, a slight edge of annoyance in her tone. "Wendy Kesler."

_…And that has what significance to me?_ Kenji wondered inwardly, faintly recalling hearing her name over the morning announcements via the intercom, always linked to the social events regarding the school.

She must have detected the uneasy look in his eyes. "You've never heard of or seen me around school before?"

"Oh, no, I have," he replied, smiling weakly in assurance. "I just… don't really know you, that is all."

A convincing gasp escaped from her as the girl's mouth dropped open in astonishment, then she raised her hand to cover it in further dramatic emphasis, "Don't really know me? Oh my, honey, I _never_ would've thought that you'd forget me after what happened between us Saturday night at that new transfer student, Cronos' party, tsk, tsk!"

_I've never been to a party before… _He quirked a brow suspiciously. "…What happened between us Saturday night at Cronos' party?"

Her eyes widened in mock surprise. "Dear me, you don't remember? This is absolutely tragic!" She placed her hand on his forearm and briefly squeezed his biceps. "I can't believe that you don't remember the first girl you ever slept with, or the night that you lost your virginity!"

The mole zoanthrope felt his heartbeat halt to a dead stop at her exclamation. "Wh-What…?!"

She batted her lashes at him seductively. "Yup, it was you and me, doll, and nothin' but bare skin. True, we were both tipsy and maybe we weren't in our normal states of mind, but hey, it sure was one wild, unforgettable experience! And to think, we have your friend Uriko to thank for that special night between us!"

His eyes narrowed into slits. "Uriko? What would she have anything to do with… with something like that??"

Wendy clucked her tongue and shook her head. "Poor baby, she must've gotten you so drunk that the memory was wiped from your mind - you _did_ pass out afterwards. I **suspected** that the punch was spiked, and even told her so, but she just kept bringing you more and more glasses! I guess she wanted you to do her, but she got steered away by some other guy, and then you came over to me."

He shoved his hand into his pocket, where it clenched into a tight fist and quivered in confusion and anger. "Afterwards?? After what?!"

"After we had sex! Duh!" The girl tsked at him exasperatingly, and then squeezed his biceps once more before casually strolling off down a direction of the hallway while calling over her shoulder, "Sorry you had to be back-stabbed by your friend, Kenji-kun. I sure would never do something like that to a sweet person such as yourself…"

For a moment, he couldn't move. Her statements sent jagged glass shards searing into his body, slicing open fresh wounds and exposing his vulnerability for any outside people to view. His best friend… betraying him? That just didn't seem possible. But then again, she never revealed explicit aspects of what happened that weekend, and all he could remember was staying at her house to take care of her recovering injuries. After reviewing the facts in his head, he immediately clamed up, shielding a cold, unyielding mask over his face to hide the deadly ire boiling in his eyes and the white of his tightly pursed lips. It was time for him to find the answers to these new burning questions, and this time, he would not relent until she told him every last detail.

Suddenly, softness brushed against the knuckles of his hand, and he remembered the delicate red rose that he still held in his grasp. Glancing down, Kenji stared at the flower for a silent, endless moment, before curling up his fist, mercilessly crushing the dainty petals and severing the crisp stem into two pieces. Flinging the crumpled floral to the cold marble floor, he turned his back on it and slowly began to walk away, heading for his first period classroom, feeling inward wounds bleed more heavily with each agonized passing step. His humane feelings and emotions shriveled into black smoke, crawling back into forming his hard shell of emptiness, his heart as broken as the rose lying on the ground behind him.


	13. Ache

****

Ache

_Oh, oh, I wonder what he wants to see me about…!_

Giggling softly to herself, Uriko enthusiastically pushed open the passenger side of her best female friend's car, and called over her shoulder, "Thanks for the ride, and stopping by that diner for breakfast, Erika! I gotta run off to meet someone before first period starts, so I'll catch you later!"

"See you in class!" she heard the other girl reply with a laugh as the tires squealed off when the vehicle drove toward the student parking lot.

The feline zoanthrope dashed through the double doors leading into the hallway, and sprinted down the long corridors, her waist-length brown braid bouncing against her backpack. While she was heading for her locker, several times she almost ran into other students occupying the area, and the auburn-haired girl lost quickly count of how many people she bumped by as she ran. Muttered, non-serious threats flew by her ears, and she laughed carelessly, knowing that her friendly reputation would secure her from danger. Stealing a quick glance at one of the many clocks hanging up in each separate wing of the school's halls, the teenager quickened her pace as the minute hand ticked ever closer to the time in which the bell would ring, signaling the start of class.

__

Uh oh! It's almost time! She panicked, and with a feline yowl grumbling low in her throat, she somehow managed to push her pace up a notch by absorbing a bit of help from her animal counterpart. Tearing around the final corner that would only have a couple of measly feet of space to decrease and reach her locker, her lungs burned when the sixteen-year-old came to a stop at last. Adrenaline vigorously pumped through her veins, making her breaths slightly wheezy and her heart race frantically at her hurried rushing. Bending over to plant her hands on her knees, Uriko heaved a huge sigh of relief as she slowly closed her eyes, and mentally willed her pulse to slow down. _If I keep going at this rate, I'm not gonna be able to see seventeen…_ she thought, a wry smile playing about her lips.

A starry twinkle sparkled in her eyes when she remembered the reason why, or rather the person, who had made her so hasty and frantic in getting to her locker. _Kenji is such a sweetie. _ An adoring glint shimmered in her large brown irises while a wide grin easily formed over her expression. _Other people might think he's some kinda loner, outcast, or whatever, but inside that thick, protective barrier there's a honest-to-goodness warm heart. Sigh… I wish I could go to prom with him… but Kenji doesn't like social events, especially if they're related to school._ She gripped her backpack strap tightly in one hand, and straightened back up into a standing position with a small frown marring her brows. _Stubborn, but then again, I guess that's something new I'll have to work on with him, hehe._

Minutes passed, and the Kenpo student occupied herself with more thoughts about her friend, while she was equally plagued with curious questions that soared through her vibrantly active mind. Anxious brown eyes scanned the surroundings, catching sight of a colorfully printed poster splayed over a wall, covering up quite a section with its largeness. Sparkled glue decorated the border; while carefully scripted words printed onto the sturdy board's surface publicly announced the prom night that was arriving in mere several days. A slightly melancholic smile grazed her lips; she wanted to attend the event as she had for the last two years, but her desire didn't outweigh the gloomy concept of going alone.

The bell rang just then, jostling her out of her train of thought, making the girl jump, startled, strands of her long bangs briefly clinging to the static of her cheeks before falling back to settle next to her ears. Blinking in momentary confusion, she gazed at the clock, surprised to find it displaying the time in which there was only five minutes left until first period began. Scratching the back of her neck in bemusement, Uriko cast one last scan around the hallway for her best friend, then her shoulders slumped down a bit. A disappointed look marring her expression, her head drooped slightly and her eyes locked onto the ground; as the crisp soles of her brown boots squeaked against the cold marble floor, her right foot suddenly found a red object.

Abruptly halting, she stopped herself from kicking it away just in time, and instinctively bent down, extending her hand to pick up the lightweight stray that was sitting just inches away from a tall green stick. Cupping it in her palm, the female student straightened her posture into her full height and quickly brushed off a wrinkle in the skirt part of her navy blue school uniform. Glancing at the maroon item, she discovered it was a rose that had been crushed, its delicate red petals bunched together to mash into the bud. Quickly sneaking a peek at the ground, she realized that what she had presumed to be a thin stick must have really been the stem that was attached to the flower at one point.

_How cruel,_ she thought sympathetically, her lips pressing into a line of visible disapproval, ignoring the cluster of scholars that were dashing into the hallway she was currently positioned at. Shaking her head in pity of the rose's cold owner, the feline zoanthrope began walking, and at the same time smoothed out the petals as best as she could, sweeping over the creases with the tips of her fingers. Clutching the newly-formed rose to her chest, lying right next to the giant red bow of her dark blue uniform's top attire, Uriko strolled into her first period class just after the final bell rang. Sliding into her seat, she peered at the clock and groaned aloud; there were hours separating the time in which she could meet with her best friend, since their only class together was in the afternoon, the one second-to-last period before school was let out.

At least she could go find him at lunch, small compensation. But why the disappearance in the morning? His note in her textbook had asked her to meet him at her locker minutes prior to first period beginning, and yet she'd waited and he didn't show up. Had something happened to him, like if he had gotten hurt or a similar situation of the sort? She hoped not. And then again, there really were no other valid reasons she could think of for him standing her up, as it was far from his style to leave her hanging alone. Even the year before when her friend had pay little attention to her due to all the commotion related to the Tabula incident, he never made her promises that he didn't keep.

"Good morning, class. Please take out your homework assignment from last night," her math teacher spoke at that moment, breaking her train of thought.

The girl sighed and obeyed, a half-smile gracing her lips as she remembered that her friend had completed her homework; that recollection ruled out the possibility that he was mad at her, at least. And as her instructor began droning on about problems from the assignment, her mind drifted and she continued pondering over the morning's events, wanting to know where Kenji had been instead of meeting her. Tucking the rose into a small pocket of her backpack, she sat up in her chair and tried to focus on what her teacher was saying, the lecture drifting into one ear and straight out the other.

*****

__

I'm waiting for you.

Dark, narrowed eyes focused intently on the slender, hourglass form of the female that strolled through the quad of the school, breaking away from the groups of other students that sat around enjoying their lunch hour. She breezed past them, and occasionally waving at some of her friends that she spotted amongst the crows, then continued walking toward the back of the school. Her expression immediately lit up when she caught sight of the garden, and she hastened her pace, heading for the well-hidden corner that shielded a single stone bench, 'their' claimed spot. Backpack strap clutched tightly in her grasp, the sixteen-year-old carefully sidestepped the cluster of fresh flower embedded into the soft, nutritious earth to reach her destination.

"Ahhh…" was the breathy sigh that flowed in the air as she took a seat, stretching her legs out as the bottoms of her twin brown boots dangled close to the ground.

A low snort emitted as a figure stealthily ran along the smooth, flat seam of a mere section of the school's large rooftop, never losing balance during the travel. The enigmatic bystander leaped off the edge and agilely landed onto a thick branch protruding from the long trunk of the nearby tree, the soles of his white sneakers scraping against the bark while a leaf from above fell onto the black pad of his shoe design. Strands of dark blue hair swayed in the light-forced wind, as shadowy brown eyes glanced down and locked onto the young brunette below. An almost soundless hiss escaped from tightly pursed lips, as the watcher remained immobile, smirking when the girl periodically glanced around, seemingly searching or waiting for someone.

He could hear the wistful-ness in her sigh, and the slight frustration that was intertwined into her single vocal expression; saw her hands clench fistfuls of her skirt in anxiety. A chuckle drifted out of his mouth intentionally, and he anticipated when she twitched at the quiet noise, her ears perking up in attention. After a few tranquil moments, the female junior shrugged aimlessly and began to pick at the ends of individual strands of her long auburn hair in boredom. Now would be the perfect time to make his entrance, when she least expected it and was only partially aware of the ongoings around her.

Jumping down to ground level with a whisper, he stood at his full height and walked up behind the girl, his shadow disappearing under his feet due to the noon sun. He hovered over her head, folding his arms across his chest and slanting his eyes in her direction, wondering how long it would take before she felt his presence. Sure enough, she stiffened, the hair on the back of her neck rising, and slowly, she turned her head around to look at the person standing behind her. Visible relief aligned her facial features when the teenager saw whom it was, and she immediately smiled, springing up from the stone bench on her knees to meet his eyes.

"Kenji! Hey, there you are!" She exclaimed, not even noticing his cool exterior as she leaned foreword and threw her arms around his shoulders, hugging him warmly. "I was looking for you at my locker this morning, but you…"

"Something came up." He replied vaguely, uncrossing his arms so that he could grasp a hold of her forearms and untangle them from his form, his expression nonchalant and emotionless.

"Oh?" Uriko gave him a puzzled look, waiting for him to continue, but when he didn't offer any further explanations, she quirked a brow in curiosity. "…Um, is something wrong?"

"I have a few questions I would like to inquire of you." He informed, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Regarding this recently past Saturday night."

"That _again_?" She couldn't help the exasperation in her tone. "Really, Kenji, I don't get why you're so persistent on that subject…"

The ninja was silent for a moment, seeming as if he were analyzing her words. "And I in turn don't understand your hesitancy and impatience to explain to me the details of that night, or the vagueness of your sort, chopped answers."

Her expression turned uneasy as she unfolded her legs and got off the bench, standing onto her feet, glancing at him with a heavy sigh as her waist-length braid curled around her waist, pushed by way of the breeze. The fingers of both her hands laced together behind her back as she nervously prepared herself to evade his new onslaught of direct questioning. "All right… What do you want to know about Saturday night?"

Kenji nodded, seeming a little less tense than before, allowing a slouch to make his stance more casual appearing. "What happened, exactly? I only remember taking care of you at your house because you were still healing from your injury," he briefly showed remorse at the mention, but then hardened again, "but anything from the afternoon onward seems to be lost from memory."

She relaxed a bit; that she had no problem with answering. "Well, I was sleeping on and off all day, and sometime in the afternoon, I got a craving for ice cream, but you checked the freezer and there wasn't any left. So without even complaining of slave labor or anything like that, you left my house to walk to the grocery store down the block and buy some for me, which was a really sweet gesture," she grinned.

He hesitated, faintly recalling the feel of coldness in his hands during one of his earliest flashbacks of broken dialog in conversations. "Yes… that could be possible."

"Possible?" A slight frown marred the Kenpo student's brows. "It's true, that's what happened!" He stared at her blankly, showing little interest in her exclamation. She sighed and continued, "Anyway, you came home about twenty minutes later, and we sat down in the living room and shared a bowl of ice cream while watching TV. Then I fell asleep somewhere during that time, and I guess maybe you did, too."

His eyes flickered in disbelief, but he didn't contradict her statement. "And following that?"

"And… and after that, I woke up a little after midnight to find you wandering around outside," Uriko told him, somehow feeling sure that he wasn't entirely believing her. "I guess you got restless or something, but you were sick, probably from being outside at that time of night and not even properly dressed for that kind of weather."

The mole zoanthrope scoffed. "It's May, Uriko. The weather is growing warmer, not colder."

"Hey, how do you know? Nighttime's different from the day!"

"If you say so," he smirked.

Her patience was beginning to wear thin at his verbal backlashes. "What's your problem…??"

"I want to know what occurrences went on in between the time we were watching television to midnight."

"And how am I supposed to have first-hand knowledge of that? I was asleep, remember?"

"If I remembered, then I would not bother asking you, now would I?" He snapped harshly, irritation lighting a small fire in his dark brown irises.

She swallowed back a surprised gasp at his cold attitude, and shielded her wounded emotions with a hard mask of agitation. "I don't know why you're being so mean to me, seriously. Are you mad about something?"

"Was there a party on Saturday night, at Cronos Dakinasha's house?" Kenji fired with a heated glare, ignoring her question.

Her expression twisted into a look of confusion. "How… how did you know about that…?" _Kenji doesn't care about parties or other social events like that… right?_

His eyes widened for a split second, then a growl rumbled low in his throat as he smoothly stepped over the stone bench to stand directly in front of her, while she took a couple steps back, feeling uncomfortable at their closeness. "And now, was that event too 'insignificant' for you to inform me of, hmm, Uriko?"

"N-No," she shook her head, stammering a little as she insisted, "I just didn't think you cared about those kind of things…"

All of a sudden, Kenji shot his hand out and seized a hold of her wrist, abruptly pulling her toward him until their noses were millimeters away from touching. Mere inches separating their mouths, he spoke coolly, "I told you I wanted to know _every little detail_ of Saturday night, and whether or not you believe they hold any meaning to me is not your business to judge."

It took her a moment to recover from the intimate feel of his warm breath fanning against her cheek; when she regained hold of her senses, she began to struggle to get out of her imprisonment. "Kenji, let go of my wrist, you're hurting me… …And probably cutting off my circulation."

"You think this is funny?!" the volume of his voice raised up a notch and his grip tightened, making her wince in discomfort. "I am being thoroughly serious, and you stand there, spewing jokes!"

"I'm not freaking joking!" Uriko exclaimed while flames of ire lashed out at him from her chocolate brown irises as she doggedly tried tugging her hand out of his hold again, "You really are hurting me! Now let go!"

"I'll let go when you tell me the truth!" He replied angrily, an odd sensation prickling at his nerves regarding the upset pout gracing her lips and the sliver of vulnerability in her eyes, making his heart jolt slightly.

"I told you the truth already, damn it!" she swore, fighting the urge to kick him in the shins to grasp her freedom, "Get away from me, Kenji, or I'm gonna yell assault on you!"

To her surprise, he let her go, and at the same time, the sixteen-year-old female was once more pulling away from him, causing her to stumble backwards a little ways when he released his grip. The heel of her boots caught against one of the foot-tall fences surrounding the flowerbed behind her, and she stumbled, yelping as she sought to twist her body and not land onto the delicate floral. Instinctively waving her arms to try and regain her center of balance, her rear kissed the hard ground forcefully, making the initial sign of tears well up in her eyes. The feline moaned softly, the impact of the fall shaking the delicate nerves of her spine, stunning her momentarily, but just then, two hands reached down and firmly grabbed her forearms, swiftly lifting her up into a standing position.

"Oh!" the auburn-haired girl felt her knees waver at the suddenness of the action and unwillingly fell into the arms of her best friend, her cheek coming into contact with his chin. She expected Kenji to instantly push her away, but instead, he stood there and calmly held her, beginning to soothingly stroke her back a few seconds later, sending a tremble tingling through her body. Sighing joyously, the tension left her stiffened muscles and she leaned against him, relaxing into his embrace - for a minute. Remembering what had caused her fall, the Kenpo student lurched back away from him, confusion and anger conflicting the emotions swimming in her eyes.

"Why, Kenji?" She questioned, unshed tears shining at him. "Why did you hurt me, then come to comfort me afterwards? Why lash out at me with such angrily spoken words, then act as if everything is all right now, like I can just easily forgive you? Why do you hold me like you care, yet you don't even trust the things that I said?"

"......" without answering her, he pivoted in the opposite direction, turning his back to her face.

He heard the rhythm of her breathing become strained at his silence, followed by a choked sob, and then the sound of her retreating footsteps rang hollow noises in his ear. Raising his chin up, he glanced at the baby blue sky, the scattered snow white clouds seemingly stretching across the vast area though it was the earth that moved. Misty brown eyes scanned the surroundings, while a hole slowly carved into his heart, the space filling with forlornness and desolation, and his hands clenched into fists, hanging by his side stiffly. He remained standing there for a while, alone, while the high noon sun beamed bright rays down on his form, glistening over the cobalt strands of his wavy hair, but he felt no emotion or comfort from the sunshine.


	14. Accept

****

Accept

"I told him! I told him! And I think he believed me!"

"You should be commended for your well-accomplished task."

"Huh?"

"…Good job."

"Haha, 'kay, I get it now!"

"Right." An impatient sigh. "The stage has been set. It is time for the curtain to rise."

"Um, yeah, sure, whatever. I just wanna get Kenji-kun is the sack is all; forget all of that other boring stuff!"

Light jade yellow eyes flickered a bit wistfully at her deceptive personality and clever wit. "Of course. As I would like to have Madam Uriko as my darling."

"Uh huh, I guess so. I don't like that chick, soaking up all the attention from the guys at the school… She's the only one that's _almost_ a tenth as popular as I am!"

An eyebrow quirked in disbelief. "I am certain…"

"Hey! You being sarcastic or somethin'?"

"Not intentionally. Well now, to add gasoline to the flames of fury, I shall aim to make the lady my sweetheart, have her be my, how you say, 'date' for the social event occurring this weekend."

"…You're talking about the prom, right?"

"_Yes_. Now come, the lunch hour is about to end. I will speak with Ohgami after our conjoined athletic sports and exercise class."

"…That's called P.E."

"Thank you, my modern adolescent mentor."

*****

"Hey, Ohgami, somethin' wrong or what?"

Absentmindedly shoving his gym clothes into his locker, Kenji faintly shook his head and replied to his basketball teammate, "No. I'm fine."

"You missed half of your shots today in the game. What's up with you?"

"We still won," he remarked bitterly, slamming the small door closed and then straddled his backpack strap over his shoulder.

Without waiting for an answer from his peer, he quickly strode out of the locker room with his head hung low; shaky light brown eyes focused on the ground. His conflicting emotions reflected in his dark pupils, but he refused to allow other people to acknowledge his current inner struggle, and quickly shielded them over. Never a confiding person except to his former best friend, the sixteen-year-old was starting to retract into his private, secure little shell again, regaining his original, outcast personality. Yet many of his school peers had not noticed his attitude change, as it was still too early, so they treated him the same; girls trying to win his affection as usual, while the guys wondered about his natural athletic ability.

Seconds later, as he was making his way toward the quad, a hand slapped his back rather forcefully and a familiar, confident voice drawled near his ear, "Greetings, Ohgami!"

_Goddamn it._ "Cronos." The ninja snapped bitterly, raising a hand to distance the other student away from him as he continued walking, and grew annoyed when he was being followed him all the while. Finally, he stopped and turned around, glaring as he growled, "What do you want."

"Tomorrow night is the ever-memorable social event, the prom," the jade-haired teenager spoke, offering the younger boy an unreadable smirk. "Who are you going with? Could it be… Madam Uriko?"

A day had gone by since his argument with his best friend, and fortunately, no one at school really knew of the severing and deep wounds inflicted into their friendship. He wouldn't have to worry about being discovered for a while, since Uriko was never one to gossip and spread whatever new information she had on current ongoings, most of all the private relationships in her life. Maybe even summer vacation would arrive, and still no outsiders would know of their secret until the next school year began that fall. But of course, over time, the other students would start to notice the pair hanging around each other less often, and inquiries might lead to an accidentally revealing of their broken status.

"No." was his hissed answer. "I don't care to attend the prom tomorrow. I have better things to do."

"Oh?" Cronos feigned a shocked expression. "That is a pity, it truly is. I know of a maiden whom does not have a date and would like you to escort her to the prom; she is one of your many admirers." His eyes grew dark for a second at the mention.

"Great." The mole zoanthrope said uninterestedly, starting to head for the hallway and his next period, but then was held back and blood red ire briefly flashed in his pupils as he pivoted to look at the new student. "What _else_ do you want to bother me with??"

"Well, if you really do not wish to know…" the seventeen-year-old sneered and began to turn away, brushing his light green bangs over to the sides of his face.

The tickets that he'd purchased for the prom were tucked in a slip of his wallet; sometimes he felt like the leather was burning his hand when he held the object. A few beats later, the cobalt-haired ninja sighed in exasperation and he displayed a frustrated expression as he finally relented to his curiosity, running up to the other scholar. "Wait! All right, all right, Cronos. What is her name, really."

Cronos grinned, as if he were pleased of the submission. "A very friendly lady, one of the first acquaintances I engaged with when I transferred to this new school. She is earnest, outspoken, entertaining to be around, and a pleasant person, adequate for you to escort to the prom with by her side as dates."

"Stop milking it, Daki." The younger teen spoke impatiently.

The wide smile stretching over his lips extended even further. "Wendy Kesler."

"Oh." Kenji nodded, seeming less hostile as he remembered the name and the person. "Yes, I know of her. Not very well, but we have met and spoken before."

"Splendid! You two would make a marvelous pair."

"To each their own," the mole zoanthrope commented, shrugging as he once more started heading for the hallway, "Now if you will excuse me, I have to get to class."

"Sure, sure, school is the most important subject on your mind, after all, is that not true?" The light verdant-haired student snickered from a few feet behind his retreating figure. "Be sure, however, that I aim to make Madam Uriko my sweetheart, and I will walk into the prom tomorrow night with her arm hooked into mine."

"Shut up…" the sixteen-year-old muttered under his breath, trying to shut out the taunting words as his head bowed and he quickened his pace to escape into his next period. _Although… perhaps his idea is not a bad one - asking Uriko to the prom is not an option, and to waste the tickets would be a shame._

*****

__

…Sigh…

The young feline absentmindedly threw her long brown hair over her shoulder as she strolled down the sidewalk, not bothering with the stray bangs loosely fall into her forehead. The cool air breezing around chilled her lower legs, bared by the shortness of her school uniform skirt, making the girl shiver slightly and hug her textbook more closely to her chest. Glancing up at the sky, she bit her lip in apprehension at the gray storm clouds gathering together overhead, foreshadowing the coming of rain. The hair on her arms rose, while goosebumps prickled along her skin, and she grumbled in wordless complaint, a little annoyed that she hadn't taken an umbrella with her that morning.

Her spirits weren't exactly enlightened at the moment either; she had found out in her last period, news of her former best friend asking the popular Wendy Kesler to the prom, and of course, the fiery-haired girl had accepted. She was one of his most intent pursuers, and during free time granted by their teacher, had strutted about the classroom, feeding fuel to her posse about how they were going to get a hotel room after the dance ended. Her followers swooned and remarked how they all envied her unbelievable luck, whereas Uriko doubted that the ninja even knew what happened between the two dates on prom night. She wanted so badly to go and warn him of Wendy's intention, but the anger regarding how he'd quickly turned against in their fight the day before would always resurface and she would think; _It serves him right._

"Beep, beep!" A horn honked at her from behind just then, startling her out of her thinking.

The sudden noise jostled and startled her, and the sixteen-year-old whirled around to face the softly rumbles emitting from the engine of a creamy beige Mercedes rolling up to the curb. Apprehension shaking her nerves, a frown marred her brows as she turned her back on the vehicle and started walking away, ignoring the honking that continued. Finally, the female student pivoted her body to face the Benz, placing a hand on her waist in exasperation at the persistence, a bit shocked to see it slow to a stop next to the sidewalk. Blinking in surprise, she stared at the black glass covering the four windows of the car, shielding the identity of its driver, and when the one on the passenger side slid down, she met the light jade-yellow eyes of her schoolmate.

"Cronos!"

"Milady Uriko," he greeted smoothly as he leaned toward her from his seat, his pupils flashing at her enticingly before he bowed his head a little for emphasis.

"Um… hi…" the cat zoanthrope replied, slightly uncomfortably as she shifted her book to tuck it more securely underneath her armpits to avoid the light sprinkle of rain that started to come down from the clouds above.

"Oh, do come in," he invited, reaching for the handle and with a soft click, pushed open the passenger door. "You mustn't continue strolling about outside, or you will soon be drenched by the rain."

Tilting her head up and glancing at the stormy grayness consuming the sky, Uriko had to reluctantly agree, "I guess you're right," and with a small sigh, she stepped off the pavement and slipped into the seat, shutting the door closed afterwards. Nodding in agreement, the verdant-haired teenager pulled away from the curb, and drove on down the street, quickly sneaking a peek in her direction with a pleased smile touching his glossy lips. Not noticing his action, she buckled her seatbelt and merely glanced around at the inside of his car, taking in the fuzzy beige carpeting and matching colored covering. She inhaled deeply, and a fresh, musky scent teased her senses, reminding her of a newly washed smell, and her palm rested on her seat next to her thigh, absorbing the smooth silky feel underneath.

"It is relaxing to acknowledge that you trust me." He spoke at that moment, interpreting her exploration of his vehicle as impressed awe instead of innocent curiosity. "And I see that you are intrigued by my automobile."

"What?" She shook her head out of her dazed state, then flashed him a diminutive smile, "Oh, yeah, sure. Um, thank you for giving me a ride home."

Cronos inquired her of the directions, and the auburn-haired girl blushed, then gave them to him, light blush of embarrassment dotting her cheeks. He chuckled good-naturedly, training his eyes carefully on the road as he asked, "The weekend has finally arrived; you must be relieved as all the other students of our school at this upcoming, no?"

She nodded with an enthusiastic grin at the mention of the weekend. "Definitely, this week feels like it's been going on forever, you know what I mean? And all that prom talk going around is beginning to pour out of my ears!"

He slowed the speed down a bit as he checked around before tugging the steering wheel to the right and turning his car in the same direction. "I agree wholeheartedly on the subject. All this conversing over an event that I am not even attending, it does irk me at times, especially when a few of my peers jeer at me about not going when they are."

The feline glanced at him empathetically. "Yeah, I know how ya feel. My best girl friend just got invited by this guy she has a huge crush on, and she was asking me why I wasn't going to the prom."

"Hmm, well, I want to go," Cronos said nonchalantly, "And I already purchased two tickets for this prom night occurring on the morrow's eve; however, I fear that it is too late at this time for me to seek a date." He sighed wistfully. "Tsk, tsk, what a dilemma that has been bestowed upon my person…"

A sympathetic look inhibited her large brown irises. "Have you gone to a prom before? I mean, at your old school, the one you went to before transferring over here."

"Oh…" she sighed, then turned to glance out the window, listening to the rain lightly tinkle onto the glass, watching the wet drops slowly slide down the curve. "So you wanted to try this out for the first time, right? Got prepared, bought tickets and everything."

"Yes," the male student confirmed, a small grin touching his lips. _Oh, woe is me… Express your companion, my lovely maiden._

"Hey, we're here," Uriko spoke at that moment, pointing to her house that was just a couple yards away. "That's it."

"Tsk, you are leaving all too soon," her schoolmate teased, slowing his car to a stop. Leaning over to her side, he quickly brushed a kiss against her temple, the feel of her soft skin underneath his lips stirring alive a hormonal emotion hidden within him. Hiding his expression, the verdant-haired teenager ducked his head with a secretive smile, missing the surprised look on her face; the girl blinked at him, unsure of how to interpret his action. Gently touching his arm in response, she reached her other arm over and hooked her fingers under the handle near her, tugging it up and pushing the door open. Sliding her legs off the edge of her seat, the feline zoanthrope began to step out of his Mercedes, when all of a sudden she felt resistance hold back her wrist.

"Milady Uriko," her acquaintance started to remark smoothly, "This may be a farfetched request… and I would pinch myself to wake up from a blissful dream if you acclaimed, but would you grant me the honor of being my date for the prom occurring on the morrow's eve?"

For a moment, she fell into silence, glancing down at her knees as the muscles of her neck tensed slightly, a part of her mind mourning the loss of the possibility of her best friend going to the prom with her. That chance was mercilessly slaughtered, as their heated argument from the day before still made both of them uncomfortable around each other. She didn't know how long it would take until they mended their friendship together again, but it didn't seem like that would happen in the near future. With that thought in mind, the auburn-haired teenager gathered together her bruised pride while narrowing her eyes in determination, and nodded slightly in silent agreement.

Briefly looking in the other boy's direction, she smiled and replied, "I'd love to go with you."

His face immediately lit up with elation, and a satisfied smirk flickered upon his lips, then he hastily wiped it away before she could catch sight of the expression; Cronos displayed a warm beam at her instead. "Marvelous! You do not know how overjoyed I am at your acceptance of my invitation." 

"I hope we'll have a fun time together," she offered him a small grin and inwardly sighed in relief when he released his hold on her so that she could arise from her seat and stand onto the sidewalk near her residence. "Your first prom, you're probably excited about it."

"Indubitably, I am now, knowing that you are my escort," the seventeen-year-old regarded her with a sparkle twinkling in his light yellow eyes. "Unfortunately, I must bid you farewell, for my guardian requires I return home immediately after school to complete the many assignments my teachers are occupying my free time with. But I shall be back in the heavenly vicinity of your presence when I pick you up tomorrow night, should we arrange, at approximately eight-thirty? We can dine together before proceeding to the hotel where the event is being held, if you wish."

"Okay, sure," she agreed, shrugging casually, then shut the passenger door and waved to him as she began to ascend the walkway to her house, "See you tomorrow!"

"Farewell, sweet princess," he murmured, blowing an invisible kiss to her retreating back.

Watching her through the transparent glass while she unlocked the front door and disappeared into her dwelling, a gratified expression crossed his features, making his eyebrows arc in a contemptuous manner. Images of what her prom attire would be, and remembering many of the ongoings that his other peers had whispered around the campus about what happened on prom night, Cronos began to laugh aloud. Now, what he wanted was finally within his grasp, and there were no obstacles in his way that could steer him from attaining his prize, especially that tiresome former rival of his. Calming down, he whispered inaudible nothings under his breath and chuckled lowly, a twinge of slyness in his tone as he revved up the engine of his car, and pulled away from the curb.


	15. Unveil

****

Unveil

_I wonder what I am getting myself into._

Confused, pondering light tawny eyes gave a curious once-over to the black outfit with its shoulders hooked onto a hanger, just a mere foot away. The ebony coarse material was firm and unyielding underneath callused fingers, expressing the attire's virgin freshness, and suggested that the new owner would be its first wearer. A mint, musky smell inhibited and soaked every particle of the untried clothing, stretching along an entire, masculine-form body's length of five-feet and nine inches. A white top serving as the undershirt hung within the folds of the suit; a pair of well-polished raven-colored shoes that visibly displayed hard and time-consuming work it took to reach its current state of appearance was sitting on the floor, with the apparel directly above the footwear.

_…I bet Yugo is thrilled that I finally have the need to wear something fancy of this sort,_ the ninja thought as he stared at the suit with a smirk, yet equally almost stupefied look on his face. _Now how would he have known to get this…outfit…last week? I never thought I would ever wear it until perhaps his wedding day with Alice sometime later in their relationship together, certainly not to a school-organized social event._

He scrunched up his nose in slight disdain. _How foolish I was to think just days ago, that this suit's first use was to be when I accompanied Uriko to the prom this weekend, instead of with a girl whom seems to be all right, yet one that I barely know._

A breathless sigh elicited from his throat as the teenager reached his hand out and grasped a hold of the closet door, pulling until it slid to a close, ending up looking at the image of himself in the tall mirror propped up in the wooden frame. His sleep-ready attire of a white muscle shirt and dark blue sweats wavered upon the reflective surface as he shifted his weight to one foot in a casual stance. The pale brown shade of his own hazy irises stared back at him, slivers of pallid orange speckles licking at the edge of his eyes. Fueled by the stealthy shadow of his hidden anger, they almost seemed able to leap out at any second and burn his form with ardent flames. His dark eyebrows were creased, knitting together in the center of his forehead, expressing a voiceless emotion of engrossed contemplation, as his thoughts truly were soaring through his mind at that moment.

_What does one do at prom? How am I supposed to dance with Wendy if should ask me so to perform that task with her? Why are students at the school speaking of prom night with such mysterious lechery coating their tone of voice and hidden meaning intertwined within their words?_

A gentle rapping against his door startled Kenji out of his meditative, pondering state of mind, and his gaze quickly darted toward to glance at the digital clock sitting on his nightstand before gliding over to the entrance of his room. Noting the time, which was a little after eleven, he inquired, "…Who is it?"

"You still up, little brother?" the speaker from the other side countered. "Hey, mind if I talk to you about something real quick? I won't stay long, since I gotta get some sleep soon."

The sixteen-year-old shook his head, though he knew that his action could not be seen, and cast one last glance at the mirror, at himself, before finally tearing his eyes away. "No problem, Yugo. Come in."

The knob turned and the door was pushed open inwardly, then the solid frame of his older sibling etched a shadow of his body length stretching along the fuzzy carpet floor. He grinned and greeted, "Still up after your bedtime? What were you doing, talking on the phone with a certain best friend of yours? Heh, heh."

_How I wish that were so._ "No." The mole zoanthrope unconsciously slouched his shoulders at the mention and strode over to his bed, carelessly plopping his bottom onto it, then glanced at his brother. "…What did you want to speak to me about?"

Yugo Ohgami ran a hand through his bronze-colored tress and tsked while eyeing the younger male, a half-smirk touching his lips as he seemed slightly amused. "Down to business as usual. Okay, here's the thing, I just got a call from the county office in Okinawa, and they've been reporting some problems with zoanthropes and humans both causing trouble to each other. They want the top representatives to go there and help them out, so that means tomorrow afternoon, Alice and I are leaving, we're flying over to that city. Normally, we want to, and would bring you and Uriko along with us, but you guys have school right now, and we don't know how long this will take, so you two are gonna have to sit tight here for a while until we get back."

The teenager couldn't help the frown that marred his brows. "I feel rather insignificant."

"Hey, c'mon Kenji, you know you're not!" the young boxer insisted heartily, taking a couple steps toward his brother and placing a hand on his shoulder. "'Course, you're completely aware of the fact that you'll take over the NGO when way later on in the years, I step down from leading the group, right? You and Uriko both, that is." The ninja's head snapped up in attention at the mention of him and his former best friend cooperating, together continuing to lead the group that his brother's legacy left behind in the future. "Every leader needs a life partner, after all, and I'm gonna go ahead and guess you'll choose her to be your co-leader and companion. And Alice wishes for that, too."

He nodded slowly, and forced a diminutive smile on his face. "Thank you, Yugo. Of course, it would be an honor to continue leading the NGO until true peace befalls between humans and zoanthropes everywhere, however long that may take." _I am just not sure Uriko would agree to co-lead by my side._

"It might be a lifelong struggle," his elder sibling stated, a serious expression on his features. "I mean, a lot of prejudices still exist today, and that's something people've been battling practically since the beginning of time. The most you can do is try your best, and ever give up!" A wolfish grin tugged at his lips. "And it doesn't hurt to have a lovely assistant as your partner, and in your personal space outside of business hours, haha."

Kenji snickered good-naturedly. "You and Alice make quite a striking pair, both partners equally determined and head-strong, with steel wills, that regardless of how hard they may want to try, no one can dissolve." A wistful sparkle shimmered in his shady pupils and a gnawing hunger formed a lump in his throat, while yearning clawed at his stomach as he thought of his feline companion, and how much he wished to speak with her on friendly terms at that very moment.

"Well, the same could be said about you and Uriko!" An icy glare from the cobalt-haired teenager made Yugo relent and raise his hands up in surrender as he took a few steps back, nearing the door. "All right, all right, I know you keep claiming that you guys are just friends or whatever, and that's fine! I believe that's true… for now, anyway," he chortled, and spied the exasperated eye rolling action from his brother just then. "Hey, don't gimme that look. After all, who're you going to the prom tomorrow night with besides Uriko, eh?"

"I am not escorting Uriko to the prom, Yugo." The young ninja snapped, irritation dripping from his words. "My accomplice is another girl in school named Wendy Kesler."

The wolf zoanthrope blinked in surprise. "…Wait, you're putting me on, right? I mean, seriously, no one else has _ever_ convinced you to go to those school dances and such except Uriko, and I was sure the first time you are ever gonna wear that suit is to bring her to the prom-"

"Well, not this time, all right?" Kenji insisted almost hissingly. "I have the freedom to acquire other friends, as well as install a little variation into my selections, or do you have a problem against that?"

"Damn, chill out already," the older male regarded him with a curious, yet cautious eye. "I'm glad you're making more friends at school; it's just that you've never mentioned hanging around with anyone else besides Uriko, so I didn't know about the others, okay? Kenji, don't jump down my throat just because I don't have knowledge of every aspect in your social life…"

He sighed, visibly agitated as he placed both hands atop his head and gripped fistfuls of his hair, expressing a sliver of frustration in his attitude. "You're right. I apologize, Yugo. I am a little irritated at the moment, is all. I'm not sure of what to do at the prom, and fellow students have been whispering about the prom night around the school, speaking in hushed tones, which ignites my curiosity." Glancing up at his sibling, a hopeful look crossed his eyes. "Might you have even the slightest inkling of what their talk is referring to?"

Appearing a bit abashed at the inquiry, Yugo awkwardly scratched the back of his head before shifting his arms and folding them over his chest, glancing briefly at the ground as he quickly collected together his thoughts. A few moments dragged on, and then he spoke, presumably choosing his words rather carefully, "…You see, another thing that surprised me about your not going to the prom with Uriko is because I didn't think that you'd trust anyone besides her."

_Back to that again?_ The sixteen-year-old narrowed his eyes in annoyance, and opened his mouth to speak, but his sibling cut him off, "Before you get all crazy on me, wait until I'm done talking first, okay? I think it'll make more sense once I'm done explaining."

His lips pressed together tightly, he nodded in reluctant agreement, but a sudden question brought a bemused smirk to his expression, and prompted him to ask, "But, why do you mention trust? You presume that my partner will attack me at the prom, attempt an assault, try and pressure me into taking drugs, or something of the sort? I was sure that you knew I am fully capable of taking care of myself, and looking after my well-being."

The boxer gave a partial shrug. "Yeah, I know, and it's not about that, really," his features turned serious at that moment as he questioned, "…Uh, Kenji, do you know what usually happens on prom night? I mean, after the dance is over, that is, and it'd probably around twelve o'clock at the time."

"Send your date home, of course." Kenji replied matter-of-factly, peering at his brother as if the answer was obvious, and wondering why his time was being wasted by such pointless information. "If it is truly that late when the prom ends, there is nothing more appropriate left to do but see to the safe journey home of your escort."

"…Eh… Not necessarily everyone would share your idea there," the bronze-haired zoanthrope whistled lowly. "Damn, it's times like these I wish Alice could help me explain this kinda stuff to you… Uh, Kenji, you've had…sex education…in school before, right?"

"…Yes," the teenager answered slowly, unsure of what point he was trying to get at. "The second semester of my freshman year; remember how I had to attain your signature on a permission slip for me to be in that course?"

"…Oh yeah!" He grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, bad memory. Ah, well then…" a slightly pale shade inhibited his facial features. "All right, I'm just gonna be blunt, since you'd probably eventually guess it anyway, and I'd much rather tell you now myself, than to have you learn it on your own tomorrow night, when it might be too late then…"

"Learn what??" Kenji inquired, impatient aligning his expression. "Too late? What _are_ you talking about?"

"Ahem," his brother coughed, averting his eyes elsewhere to dance around the walls of the room. "'Scuse me for being blunt about this, but… You know that proms are at hotels, right?"

"I am acknowledged of the fact that this year's location is indeed at a hotel downtown; however, I don't know if past prom events were at a similar location or not." _And I would inquire Uriko of that information… but under our current circumstances…_

"Damn it, this is kinda embarrassing to say," Yugo uncrossed his arms and slung one of his hands over his shoulder, while the other slunk around his waist and the pair linked together in a stretching movement behind his back. His nose twitched in disdain as he admitted, "But it's gotta be done. Okay, Kenji, here it is. On prom night, most - not all - but most, of the couples won't just leave and go home after the dance's over."

"No?" The dark-haired ninja peered at him skeptically. "All right, so if they don't leave, then where does the duo go? Certainly they do not wish to stay in the room long after the prom has been dispatched, and spend the night there in the silent darkness."

"Well… You got the overnight part right…"

"What? You must be jesting." Kenji appeared incredulous yet curious of his sibling's proclamation. "There are people who willingly and stubbornly stay in the location when the event has ended? But, why would they do such a thing? What purpose does their action serve?"

The boxer sighed and released his grip, losing the stretching pose as he allowed his arms to casually fall to his sides and his hands relocated to rest against his hips. "Let me put it this way, Kenji. The prom is at a hotel. Usually, it's couples that go to the event, and it doesn't end until around midnight. The majority of the people won't leave the hotel even after the dance is over to go home, which will then leave the assumption that they are going to stay overnight. They are staying, together, overnight. What would you presume happens when a young couple sleeps a night at a hotel, alone, just the two of them, with no intention to leave until morning?"

He cast a meaningful look in the mole zoanthrope's direction, whose eyes widened when the realization dawned upon him. "You… you mean, they…" _They sleep together? Most couples do that? Their main intention of going to the prom is… is to have intercourse with each other?_

"I see by the shock on your face that you get what I was hinting at," Yugo laughed weakly, but it died off when he caught sight of the bright red numbers blinking from the digital clock some distance away. "And sorry, I don't mean to run out when you're half in a state of trauma or anything, but it's getting pretty late now and I really do have to get some sleep. There're some things Alice and me gotta do early tomorrow morning before leaving for Okinawa."

His brother remained stationary; an emotionless expression on his face as even more questions scrolled through his mind that he felt too embarrassed to ask aloud. _But Uriko says she has gone to prom every year since she was a freshman; is it because of **that**? Could she really have lost her innocence at that young of an age? …Hrmp, I should talk, with what happened between Wendy and I just last weekend._ He scowled quietly, paying no attention to the older male, who had continued droning on about his thoughts regarding the upcoming trip and how he was suffering from withdrawal since he hadn't participated in a boxing match for days.

__

But I had an excuse, didn't I? Kenji wondered, a deep frown marring his brows. _I doubt I would have given her my consent if I had been fully aware of the situation… Damn myself for getting drunk and losing my head… Who knows what other foolish things I would have done, if I would've wondered around and ensued a fight somewhere, and end up hurting innocents, or committed a crime somehow. Or morphed in public and scare hoards of humans…_

A sudden thought occurred to him just then. _ …Wait, if what Yugo says about prom night is true, does that mean Wendy expects me to sleep with her again, the way we did last weekend? Is that what she interpreted of my invitation, and why she seemed so excited and enthusiastic about going with me? No… I didn't know… This is unfair, I was never aware of the hidden meaning behind this prom event… Argh, I wish I hadn't purchased those damn tickets in the first place…_

"Hey, I'm gonna leave and go to sleep now, okay?" Yugo spoke up at that moment, jostling his brother out of his deep pondering, sending him an amused smirk as he commented, "Damn, I never knew you would be practically in a coma about finding out prom night's background! Kenji, just don't worry about it, all right? You don't have to do anything you don't want to with your date. If she advances or anything, tell her no, and I'm sure she'll understand and back off, so relax and stop looking so shaken up and tense over there."

The cobalt-haired zoanthrope nodded slightly and glanced down at the floor, his eyes scanning the bristly carpet while his hands subconsciously wrung together nervously in his lap. "…I hope you're right."

"C'mon, relax, Kenji!" His elder sibling grinned. "Now, have a good night. Go to sleep already! I'll see you tomorrow before I leave for the airport with Alice, okay?"

"All right," he agreed, gazing up briefly with a forced smile grazing his lips. "Good night to you too, Yugo. And… thanks for telling me about prom night. I just wish that I had found out sooner." _Sooner, as in, before I ever even thought of buying those cursed prom tickets…_

"Ah, no problem, that's what big brothers are for, to scare the hell out of their little brothers and put them into some trance-like state the way I did to you!" Yugo joked, yet a sliver of guilt lingered in his eyes and he turned away before it could be detected; he started to head for the room that he and his girlfriend shared, but stopped after taking just a couple of steps. "…One last thing, Kenji," he called over his shoulder, pivoting his head to peer at his sibling, "Whatever happens, you don't have to tell me anything, but I do want you to make sure that you don't give it away unless you really want to, you know what I'm saying? Just… be careful, because while all of us know Uriko, we _don't_ know that girl Wendy, but don't get yourself hurt by her is all."

With those last fateful words, he was swallowed up by the shadows as he disappeared around the corner, leaving a perplexed Kenji still sitting on his bed in a slight stupor. The young ninja heaved a deep sigh, and tried to cast away the numerous questions baffling his consciousness as he flicked off the lamp on his nightstand. He was still confused as to what his prom date intended of him; he also wondered why his former best friend was always so eager to attend the event, and feared the worst possibility. His eyelids slid down to a close even when the inquiries stubbornly plagued his mind, and continued doing so, following him as he succumbed to sleep.


	16. Prepare

****

Prepare

__

"Do you wanna go somewhere more private, and…play…with me? I promise you'll have a great time…"

Heaven forbid, it was back. He groaned and shook his head in refusal as once again, hazy blackness met his vision, the blur in everything making it impossible for him to clearly view his surroundings. It almost seemed as if his own subconscious mind was jouncing the pictures and images that soared through his head, taunting him because he had no choice but to endure through the showings. Long, dark-colored curls dangled before the range of his sight, tickling his cheek and the area above his nose where his eyebrows were separated. Warmth caressed his earlobe, curling inside, making him shiver in reflex, while a voice whispered words of suggestions that awestruck him when they were met with his naïve innocence.

Bodily contact pressed extremely tightly against his, in a possessive and suffocating way, he somehow was able to acknowledge a faint presence slithering down his back, and the teenager recoiled slightly. He strove to open his mouth and refuse the bold, unwavering action, but he was in no position to abstract power from this dream that held him captive. Open palms firmly cupped his rear, paying no heed to the denim barrier, while thick, sturdy nails protruding from slim fingers dug into his flesh. The contact was unwanted, as it brought foreign feelings of mutual abhorrence and curious feelings to him, invoking a twinge of inexperienced arousal that immediately irked his defensive system.

He closed his eyes, but it did nothing to block out the fear inwardly devouring his courage; he knew what was to happen next, his dancing partner, presumably Wendy, would lead him to somewhere secluded, or he hoped at the very least with all of his dignity. Their righteous state of minds tainted by the effects of alcohol, they would both throw away all restraints and unleash the primal urge born within every being that just had to be satisfied. There would be no guilt, no looking back, only surging on foreword, and any fracture of regret could not surface until the break of dawn came to open their eyes. Plenty of things in his life the ninja direly wished he had never done, but this was undoubtedly one of the top on his list, giving his virtue to someone he barely even knew.

__

Here it comes, the moment in which I inanely hand over my innocence to this girl on a silver platter… he grimaced and tried to halt the sequence, but his effort was futile. _Must I watch the event unfold…? I don't wish to see myself acting quite the fool…_

Then all of a sudden, a strange feeling wracked his stomach, arising the instinct for him to vomit, and unbidden were his lips moving, forming into what he said at the moment not by his own will, _"'S-Scuse me… but I think…I think I hafta go outside and barf…"_

His first reaction was of bewilderment. It never occurred to him that he could have been sick that night, though he fully acknowledged the fact that it was one of the consequences of drinking alcohol. A low chuckle bubbled in his throat at the thought of himself throwing up at the other girl, and even moreso he was surprised that she would still sleep with him given the situation. Perhaps she had been too drunk to be aware of his current state, and if he had indeed barfed on her, he felt no shame or guilt at the possibility of his action. After all, she'd taken his virginity in return; more priceless than what wastes he would dump upon her, that could have been merely washed off with a thorough, cleansing shower.

A rude noise emitted from his mouth, and he dimly recognized it as a burp, which made inklings of laughter return to his senses, but he immediately silenced himself when he heard her speak, _"Riiight… Whatever. You go do that. I'll catch you later when you're better…"_

And to his amazement, the body length left him. Sly snickering emitted from between his loosely pursed lips, and he wanted to express the emotion more, laugh his relief in escaping the fate of surrendering to primitive lust. Joy surged through his veins, and he wanted to shout in exultation when he heard himself mumble, _"Gull…gullible… Now, ish time to go…"_

His voice sounded slurred, and dizziness wracked his consciousness, but he was alone, by himself, with no temptress trying to seduce away his innocence, no one to bother him and he couldn't have felt more elated. The noise and ruckus of the partygoers around him disappeared, and was replaced by a gust of wind that encased his figure in icy coolness. Yet the chilly weather didn't bother him; he was drowning too deeply in a pool of bliss that he had escaped the social event with his morals still intact. A quiet engine noise sounded in his ears, and the mole zoanthrope blinked his eyes, only able to see the blurred forms of red and green circles that periodically flashed before his view. 

_I must be driving,_ he theorized, then instantly scathed, _Wait, am I truly driving?? Drinking and driving?! Good Lord, I can't believe I would something this stupid!_

Disgust and repulsion boiled in his stomach at his moronic decision to drive when he was obviously liable of getting into an accident, even though he knew in that state, many people had done foolish things because of the alcohol intoxicating their system. Their judgement was clouded by the tipsy daze that befuddled their consciousness, and his idiotic performance was a clear-cut example of how one could act under the drunken influence. Fully aware that he didn't engage into a crashing incident with another driver, yet he kept anticipating it to happen, Kenji watched and awaited the next scenario to unfold. Where was he going? Would it be a public place, where he somehow would be provoked to morph, and frighten human bystanders by his zoanthrope counterpart?

The car was slowing down just then, no longer came the feeling of wind ruffling through his hair, although he hadn't been too aware of the cold breeze soaking his pores during the drive since he was preoccupied by anxiety. Anticipation pricked his curiosity as he felt his convertible completely stop, which must have meant he'd reached his destination, and would soon step out. But the cobalt-haired teenager still didn't know exactly where he was, and hoped it wouldn't take long for him to reveal that little tidbit of information as he gripped the handle of the door and pushed it open. Tiny rocks and pebbles crunched underneath the weight of his feet as he proceeded along the path of the concrete sidewalk, heading up toward a tall blur that he assumed to be a house.

_Am I going home…? _He grimaced with shame at the thought. _If so, then I will most likely be watching Yugo scold me when he detects the alcohol odor from my clothes and hair._

He ascended the short flight of porch steps with ease, although staggered a couple of times due to his hazy state of mind, and then approached the wide wooden frame of the residence's front entrance. After blinking and staring at the darkened windows adjacent to the door, he raised his arm, and felt his hand curl into a fist as he prepared to knock. Now was the time that the sixteen-year-old could found out where he had driven to, and he pressed his lips tightly together, anxiously awaiting the opportunity of seeing a figure from the house…

*****

"Kenji!! Yo, wake up, brother!" came a voice that breezed by his room and a loud knock on his door that shocked him into awareness. "Alice is cooking bacon for breakfast today, and if you don't hurry up and get downstairs, they're gonna be all gone before you even get the chance to blink!"

Reflexively snorting back a sleepy yawn that threatened to escape his mouth, the dark-haired ninja adjusted his facial features into a scowl of annoyance at his sibling's awakening call. Just a mere few more seconds and he would have discovered the destination he'd gone to, and could possibly hypothesize on what following might have happened. He had been so close and now that he was in the world of consciousness, his bodily habit of not being able to go back to sleep meant one more night had to pass before he could realize where he'd driven to! His brother interrupted his dream just to inform him of the breakfast's contents; he turned over and buried his face into his pillow, releasing a shrill snarl of frustration.

"Kenji!! Did you hear me or what??" Yugo persisted from the other side of the wooden structure blocking the room's entrance.

The teenage male lifted his head and shouted with a twinge of irritation in his tone, "Yes, of course I did; I am certain that even deaf people would be able to hear such a clamorous wake-up call as yours!!"

"You're saying that I was loud, right? Hahaha! I'm too good!" He heard his brother laugh, then footsteps began to walk away while his voice grew faint, "See you downstairs!"

Kenji rolled his eyes in exasperation as he cast aside the blanket, and reluctantly climbed out of bed, slowly trudging toward the bathroom just a few feet away. It would take more than a good breakfast to distract him from pondering over the events of his dream, although when he realized the prom event would take place that night, he swayed a bit from the scenarios unraveling during his slumber. The prom… nervousness pricked at him, invoking insecurity, once again making him wonder what he was supposed to do at such an important event. But as he stepped into the lavatory, a sense of pride and redemption soaked his consciousness like warm honey - he was still innocent, did not cast away his virtue as he'd thought so a couple days before.

After flicking on the light switch, the mole zoanthrope tilted his chin up, and glanced at himself in the mirror; without even realizing it, his lips had curled into a smile.

*****

"I'm kinda nervous…"

"**You're** nervous! Girl, I've been nervous since the moment Joseph asked me to the prom! Even though you and I bought our dresses like, a month ago and I've been preparing to go, I've still got these big moths flying around in my stomach!"

"That's… a lovely picture, Erika…" Uriko crinkled her nose slightly at the thought, and then grinned as she spoke into the receiver, "Relax, the prom isn't as scary as you might think! It's really a lot of fun, if you go with someone you really like, such as you and Joseph, hehe."

"Easy for you to say, Ms. I've-Gone-To-The-Prom-Since-Freshman-Year; this prom is the first for the rest of us lowly acolytes," her friend's tone was teasing, "Sorry, I'm just afraid that I'm gonna hyperventilate or something…"

"Come on, chill out! Don't freak now, wait until after the prom night to do that."

"Hey, Uriko, are you really going with Cronos Dakinasha?" Erika asked, a bit of disbelief in her tone.

The feline zoanthrope sighed. "How many times have you asked me that?"

"A million?"

"And how many times have I said, 'yes'?"

"A million?"

Her brows knit together in a slight frown. "And you still don't believe me or something?"

"No, no, it's not that, really!" her fellow school peer assured quickly, "It's just… well, I kinda thought you would be going with Kenji this year, that's all."

While gritting her teeth a bit, she felt the beginning sensations of cat ears tipping out from atop her head. "We're just _friends_. Buddies. Pals." _Not at this moment though…_

"All right, all right! Don't get defensive on me; hey, you asked, and I was just telling you the answer!" her friend seemed wounded. "Anyway… it's like eight twenty-five right now, didn't you say that Cronos was going to pick you up at around eight thirty?"

"Yeah," Uriko confirmed, "We're going to dinner, and then downtown to the hotel where the prom's being held at, hopefully a little after nine so we won't be too late. Maybe I should get off the phone now since he's coming soon."

"Okay," the other girl agreed, "Have fun at dinner! See you later at the prom, girl!"

"Uh huh, bye," she said before hanging up.

Arising from the chair next to the phone that she was sitting in, the auburn-haired teenager stretched her arms out before her face and started strolling toward the front door. She stopped momentarily when she passed by the length-long mirror in the hallway, peering at her reflection and making sure there wasn't anything atrocious defiling her profile. What looked back at her was a deep crimson dress that fittingly clothed a slender, hourglass form, with only a thin strap attached to two spots in the front near her shoulder blades, curving around the back of her neck to hold up the attire. The satin material ran along down just inches up from her ankles, dangling above a pair of black low-heeled sandals with thin belt buckles keeping the formal footwear intact.

Turning around, she saw her own naked flash, since the apparel she donned was back-less, and revealed a portion of her skin bared, ending when it circled to her waist. Her long brown hair was tied up into a tight French braid, but she still left quite a bit of her bangs to bob over her forehead, the bottom tips grazing against her chin when her head made a forward motion. Pivoting to face the mirror once again, the Kenpo student absentmindedly picked at the nylon material of the pair of white gloves covering her hands. A light layer of foundation powdered her cheeks, and her eyelashes gleamed while the dark red shade of her lips suggested her further use of cosmetics.

_I'm ready._ She decided, and puffed her hair up a bit just as the doorbell rang, which caused her to stiffen. _H-he's here!_

Shaking herself out of the stationary position, the feline cast a quick glance in the direction of her house's entrance, and then heaved a shaky sigh as she turned and proceeded towards it. Reaching out her arm, she snatched up her black kitten mini-purse that was lying atop a small table nearby before grabbing the knob with her other hand and pulling the door open. Uriko was immediately greeted with a large, decorative and colorful corsage that practically thrust into her face, inches away from her nose, startling her into stepping back a-ways. Behind the showy floral revealed the grinning face of her school peer and prom date, the pleased sparkle in his eye clearly evident as he gave her the once-over.

"You look exquisite, madam. Beautifully exquisite," Cronos drawled smoothly, bowing his head a bit, the light from her porch making a few strands of his jade-colored hair gleam. A raven black tuxedo served as his attire, blending into and making his skin seem darker, and matching the same ebony-colored shoes he donned as footwear. Stiff cuffs encircled his wrists, but he showed no signs of discomfort from them, and the collar of a white undershirt peeked out from his neckline. He gently took a hold of her hand with his free one, and bent down to press a kiss upon her knuckles before resuming his straight-up stance, still holding her in his grasp.

With an obviously pleased look displayed upon his expression, he shifted to fasten the corsage around her wrist, admiring his work when he finished. "Is this not one of the loveliest things you have ever laid your eyes upon?"

"Yeah, it's… really pretty," she fumbled her answer, at a loss for words as she wondered how heavy the object was since it certainly laid weight on her. "…Thank you."

"Only the best for the best," her companion smiled dazzlingly and crooked his elbow. "Come, my dear, for our chariot awaits us."

The sixteen-year-old nodded and accepted, slipping her arm through his, hoping that if he had rented a limousine to go to the prom, it wouldn't stand out as much as the huge corsage he'd given to her. But any hopes of that diminished when she caught sight of the stretched-out vehicle aligning the driveway of her home; it had to have been more than the size of two convertibles put together. However, it wasn't the length that made her eyes widen; she gasped in shock when she saw that the limo was painted a shade of faintly shimmering _gold_. There were multiple black windows adjacent to one another and small bulbs curved around the bottom edges of the car, in which she presumed they would light up when the vehicle was in motion. She stood there for a couple minutes, stunned by the view before her, while her prom date allowed a partial smirk to grace his lips at her silence.

"Impressive, no?" he spoke, shattering her comatose state.

"What, huh?" Uriko quickly shook her head and blinked in awe. "That limousine… it's… it's **gold**…"

"I am fully aware of its color, yes." A grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. "I gather by your silence that you are amazed by the vehicle."

_So much for not wanting to stand out…_ "Well, that sure is one way to put it," she voiced, twitching her nose. "…Anyway, let's get going." _I just want to run back into the house… Everyone will be staring at us when we arrive at the prom… Eek, I don't want to be at the center of attention with such showy things…_

"Yes, we shall proceed," Cronos agreed with a curt nod, and crossed the pathway over to the driver's window, where he rapped upon the slick black surface. In response, a tall man dressed in ebony-colored formal attire stepped out, walking to the passenger section in the middle of the limousine, and held open the door for his employer and his lady, waiting for them to comfortably sit down inside before shutting it close. A few minutes later, the Kenpo student felt the engine start after the driver got back into his own seat and the vehicle slid out of the driveway to smoothly roll into the street.

"Where shall we go to dine, my sweet?" her date inquired, sitting directly across from her, his jade-yellow eyes meeting hers intently.

"…Um, I'm not really that hungry, actually." She admitted, offering him a weak smile as compensation. "Do you mind if we just go straight to the hotel downtown?" _Maybe if we go early enough, not many people will see the gold limo and I could use a politeness excuse with my arm to hide that huge corsage behind my back…_

He bowed slightly. "As you wish, milady." Pressing a button on the ceiling, he transferred the instructions to the driver through the speaker, and then leaned back against the cushions. Gazing at the girl before him, he grinned widely; "This shall prove to be a night to remember."

__

You got that right… She thought, chuckling lightly in reply as she glanced out the window at the twinkling stars, and made a wish upon one of them that the pair would be the first to arrive at the hotel to avoid attention.


	17. Arrive

****

Arrive

"Holy shit-!"

"I ain't seeing things, right?"

"That…that limo is gold!!"

Hearing those words even through the thickness of the black windows, the Kenpo student ducked her head down, feeling her cheeks flush in embarrassment at the unwanted attention. Apparently, she and her date had not arrived at the hotel early enough, and now there was a small group of students, all in formal attire, crowding around the limousine as closely as they could without being run over. The driver must have been extremely patient, taking time and being cautious to weave through the scattered teenagers, trying to not hit anyone. Cronos merely smiled at the praises and exclamations, and lowered his window to reveal his identity to the others, beaming with pride when he heard a few of the others whistle in compliment. The feline zoanthrope sank lower into her seat, and intently focused her eyes on the tall, looming building hovering above, the stone structure stretching high into the sky.

"You go, Daki! Awesome limo!"

"Hey, who's his date? Can't see her face!" The people surrounding the male who said that comment laughed.

"She's hiding from ya, Daki!" Another scholar chimed in, "What'd you do, scare her?"

Scowling in annoyance at the previously made remark, Uriko straightened her posture and tentatively peeked out the glassy black surface on her side, peering into the sneering, yet awed faces of her schoolmates. Many fingers pointed at the long vehicle, most specifically on its golden paint job, and she could catch a hint of jealousy emitting from several of the girls. She shook her head while sighing in defeat, and averted her attention to the shadowy outline of the hotel that was quickly approaching. The other students had obviously parked some distance away, as there were dozens of cars aligning the sidewalk, and she was displeased about the twenty minutes it took for the driver to find enough free spaces to fit the limousine into.

The lengthy period of time just presented the opportunity for outside bystanders bustling about in the city to stop and admire the golden car, and the sixteen-year-old could quickly feel her nerves tingling with irritation. Not to mention she felt like she was in a show, put on display for others to admire and jabber at whenever they pleased, not caring what she thought of the situation. Finally, the limo slowed a stop a few blocks from the hotel, and relief spread over her expression; her date flashed her a proud grin, and took a gentle, but possessive hold of her forearm. Deciding to let him have his way for the moment, Uriko shrugged slightly and allowed the jade-haired teenager to lead her out of the vehicle, after the driver opened the door for them.

The pair walked down the sidewalk for at least two blocks or so until they were mobbed by some of the same students that had watched them arrive and eyed the limo covered with the unusual colored paint. Jeering questions were fired at Cronos, and his female companion hung back, remaining silent as she waited for him to finish answering the inquiries from the others. Her black kitten purse clutched tightly in her free hand, she quickly slipped the strap over her shoulder, and impatience aligning her features as she and her partner leisurely walked. They were making very slow progress strolling along the pathway heading to the hotel, as schoolmates lingered about the new student, chattering with him excitedly regarding his unique vehicle.

_…Sigh…_ she thought, feeling slightly agitated when she saw that he was enjoying the attention, while she dreaded the inquiries that were directed at her. Leaning toward his ear, she whispered quietly, "Cronos, let's get to the hotel soon… The prom will be starting before we know it."

He turned to look at her, flashing a dazzling smile and a barely noticeable wink. "Yes, of course, as you wish, my sweet." Glancing at the others, he announced aloud, "My friends! Though we are enjoying your marvelous company, the lady and I wish to arrive at the hotel this moment; we are eager to begin this wondrous, unforgettable night called the prom." His head tilted to one side a bit. "I am sure that all of you are equally elated to join us at this gathering, so might this whole group journey across the distance to the building together?"

A few guys laughed while the girls giggled at his usual strange word usage and sentence structuring. "Daki's always Daki!"

But even as they shook their heads, the teenagers complied with his request and the entire crowd began moving in the direction of the hotel in a lot faster speed than before when they were stalled with conversation. With a sigh of relief escaping under her breath, Uriko gave her date a brief, grateful look, receiving a kiss on her knuckles in reply, and then she averted her gaze forward, light blush tainting her cheeks at his previous action. When she caught sight of a tall dark shadow illuminated by the bright glow of the street lamps around, she knew that they had arrived at the hotel, and immediately her tension ceased. As soon as the prom officially started, there would only be a mere couple of hours that prevented her from returning home, escaping the embarrassment of being the center of attention.

The sixteen-year-old could not help the pleased smile that curved her delicate lips at the view of the sparkling lights dotting along the long, stretching sides of the building. Maroon marble paint decorated the outer appearance, the walls shimmering by the moonlight beaming rays down coupled with the light sources tucked along the sidewalk. A ruby-colored carpet that was rolled out on the street led into the double doors of the hotel, while two workers stood by each side and collected the prom tickets. After the students got the stamp of admission, they were welcomed into the dance; Cronos and his companion, followed by the crowd, raised the eyebrows of the bellhops but they made no move to refuse their entry.

"Wow…" The feline gasped quietly when she stepped into the room where the event was being held, and halted to a stop to gawk while her date unhooked their elbows to reach for her hand, grinning at her reaction of awe.

Her large brown eyes reflected the sparkling of the chandelier that hung from the ceiling above, colorful sparkles glimmering from the crystalline shards. Pale light purposely set to that shade shone from the bulbs aligning the walls enhancing the clear, transparent ice sculpture sitting inside a flat tub that sat across the room atop a wooden stand. Adjacent to the bar counter were small tables intended for two people each, well-hidden by dim candles that provided more shadow than the default effect. Techno melody drifted out from the multiple speakers tucked in the upper corners of the room, inhibiting the entire area and enticing many people out to occupy the dance floor.

"This place is beautiful," she whispered breathlessly, her gaze flickering over the numerous couples already beginning to shift to the beat of the music with their partners.

"Yes, I must agree," her male peer spoke, turning to face the teenage girl and starting to daintily stroke her cheek, a smile dancing about his lips.

She fought the impulsive instinct to flinch at the feel of the back of his knuckles curve a cool path down the side of her face, and instead forced a grin upon her expression. Tugging on his wrist all of a sudden, she pulled him away from the door when more students began to pour in as it was quickly approaching the official opening time of the prom. Her action made him retract his arm and the sixteen-year-old inwardly sighed in relief, quickly waving to a few of her friends as they passed by with their dates in tow. Awaiting Erika's arrival, she sneaked a look at Cronos, whom was conversing with some guys presumably about his gold limousine, and she rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Hey!! Uriko!" A voice called out nearby the entrance, barely audible due to the chattering from the others and the music that filled the room.

"Erika!" the Kenpo student replied, rising on her tiptoes to gaze over the crowd, jumping up slightly startled when a hand clamped on her shoulder.

"Hi, girl! I see you made it here in one piece!"

Instantly, she pivoted to face the speaker, "Hey there! Yeah, so did you!" She flashed a smile at the tall boy standing next to her best friend, "Hi Joseph, how's it going?"

"Good, Uriko, what about you?" Joseph Riley grinned; nodding at her in greeting, his arm securely slung around his date's shoulders. "What's this I hear about you and Daki arriving like royalty?"

"Royalty?" Erika laughed. "Oh no, what did Cronos do _this_ time, huh?"

"Umm, nothing really," the feline zoanthrope answered absentmindedly. "People are just kinda… shocked by the color of the limo we came here in."

The other girl giggled, while the male senior snorted. "Oh yeah? Why, was it gold or something?"

Uriko shot him a curious glance before looking at the jade-haired teenager out of the corner of her eye. "Actually, yeah. How did you guess?"

He shrugged. "A couple times last week after basketball practice, he said something about possibly renting a gold limo to go to the prom 'cause it'd catch the other guys' attention. Didn't think he was serious about that though."

"He… Really?" A small frown marred her brows and she pursed her lips a bit. "Huh, yeah, I guess he was being serious, heh…"

"I know you hate attention, girl, sorry about the bad luck," Erika offered her a sympathetic smile. "Don't worry, no one'll remember the limo by the end of the night; they'll all be too busy thinking up an excuse to tell their parents so that they can stay here at this hotel overnight. I mean, seriously, some people just come here for the sake of-"

"Erika, let's dance." Her date suggested just then - chuckling and waving to her friend, she nodded, so he took a hold of her hand and led the girl to the dance floor where the two of them disappeared into the mingling students.

Sighing, Uriko stepped back into place with her date, waiting for him to finish talking with his friends, the corners of her lips curving up just a bit, although the mere gesture felt artificial. Her gaze danced about the room, scanning over the people she knew from school, briefly catching their eyes and smiling at them in salutation. She continued glancing above the many heads of different-colored hair moving as the teens danced, but her eyes came to an abrupt halt when it settled upon dark blue tress. Mouth falling open slightly, the young feline felt a soft moan gurgle deep in her throat, and she immediately turned away to focus her attention back on her prom companion.

_Kenji… _she thought wistfully, unable to fight the urge to glance at the pair that just entered the dance once more. _…So he did come. With Wendy._ She absorbed his appearance, how well the raven-black suit fit his lean-cut form, noticed the white collar of his presumed undershirt encircling his neck. As usual, his face was serious and emotionless, and she could not read his expression, but almost was able to detect a hint of unease in his attitude. His cobalt bangs bobbed before his forehead, periodically stooping down to graze against his eyebrows, swinging around to bounce against his cheekbone when he pivoted to peer at Wendy. His lips moved as he said something to her, and the auburn-haired girl wished her acute hearing were good enough to listen in on their conversation, but the noise level from the others hampered her senses.

"Cronos," she tapped the arm of her date, jolting him out of his conversation. 

After dismissing the other guys, he turned to face her with a pleased grin. "Yes, my sweet?"

"Let's dance," Uriko commanded, giving him a dazzling smile as she quickly adjusted the strap of her purse over her shoulder before reaching for his hand.

"As you wish," he bowed slightly, obeying her request and gripping her elbow, leading her over to where the others were dancing.

*****

_How many hours long is this prom thing again?_

Grimacing at his date's death grip on his forearm, Kenji shifted a bit in discomfort and glanced at the red-haired girl, seeing that her emerald eyes were looking right back at him. Realizing that she had probably been gazing at him on the sly when he had not noticed until now, he groaned silently and averted his attention elsewhere, hoping to discourage her from continuing to stare at him as he were a figure of godly significance. He faintly acknowledged the exotic designs of the beautifully decorated room, but his main focus wavered, then locked upon the slim, red-clothed hourglass form moving about the dance floor. A black object bounced off her hips as she twirled around with her partner, and loose strands of her long brown bangs hung casually next to her eyes.

_…Uriko._ He peered at the bright-haired girl adjacent to him, thankful that she was currently busy with chatting to some of her other friends that had arrived at the prom. She appeared so plain in comparison to his former best friend; her fiery red tress was dull and did not shimmer as much, while too much foundation was dusted upon her cheeks. A dark coat of tan color covered her lips, and her eyelashes were thickened with mascara, almost clinging together at the closeness in which they were forced into. His forearm began to tingle, especially in the area where she clutched him so tightly, and he gently reached across to untangle her hand off, gripping her in his palm instead.

"Kenji-kun!" Wendy squealed right into his ear, making him flinch in reflex. "C'mon, let's get down there with the others and dance! It must already be past nine o'clock 'cause the doors are closing so the prom has officially began!"

_This is over at twelve, right…?_ "All right," he reluctantly agreed, allowing her to drag him over to the dance floor. _I assume that the minutes will tick by very, very slowly…_ Grinding his teeth in irritation, he placed his hands on her waist, careful to place solid distance between the both of them, and fought the urge to step back when he felt her arms snake around his neck. Her action was an attempt in pulling him closer to her, but he stood his ground, refusing to budge only unless it was to shift about in dancing sync with the music.

The popular girl had been upset with him earlier because he had not rented a limousine, and instead arrived at her house to pick her up in his normal convertible. And then she complained about him not getting a corsage to strap around her wrist, continuing on with how she wanted to go to a fine dining, expensive restaurant for dinner, and was disappointed when he told her that he had a spending limit. One thing he could credit her with, she knew how to pay compliments, as she had praised him regarding how well he looked in his suit, and cooed over the gelled style of his hair. But the ninja saw through her transparent comments, since he could easily tell fakeness when it was being displayed, and was not fooled when she showered him with sugarcoated compliments. 

He was brought back to reality when Wendy began sliding in, decreasing the space separating the two, tucking her face next to his throat, and insistently pressing her cheek against his. His brows raised, but when he tried to move back, he felt her hands curve to his sides, gripping and holding him in place so that he had no choice except to remain immobile. While he was distracted by that gesture of hers, the mole zoanthrope neglected to notice when her body aligned with his, her curves bending into the crevices of his form. It made him feel smothered and not right, as if the pieces of a puzzle were being forced into fitting together, and a frown crossed his expression at her persistent action.

_Some first year prom for me this is…_ He thought wistfully, sneaking a look at his zoanthrope compatriot, noting the delicate smile gracing her lips as she was gazing at her partner, which unconsciously conjured up a bad taste in his mouth. Spying his jade-haired rival, Kenji could not help but scowl and glare at the back of his head, direly wishing that he could activate his fire beast drive on the annoying, manipulative cur. His fist started to tighten, but he quickly fought for control over his anger, since he did not want to alarm his date into being frightened if he should unleash his emotions. Yet then again, the redhead female was oblivious, slowly beginning to grind her hips against his pelvis, rubbing near an area in which he was extremely sure that he wanted her nowhere near it.

"Wendy-!" he hissed out from between sealed lips, forcibly pushing her back but keeping a grip on her arm so she would not be shoved into another dancing person nearby. His dark eyes narrowed as he continued lowly, "What do you think you're doing?"

"Dancing, what else??" She flickered her eyelashes at him innocently. "This is how other people dance, you know!"

He glanced about the place and shook his head. "I don't see anyone else right now dancing in the same motion as you were."

"Oh, they're just being wet blankets," Wendy answered matter-of-factly, a coy glint winking at him in her emerald green irises. "Just because a couple of teachers from school are chaperoning us doesn't mean that we have to act all formal and prissy to please them. This is our prom night after all, we're supposed to have fun!" She placed her hand over his wrist, and her fingers glided up and down his skin convincingly.

"Even so…" he murmured, gazing at her solemnly, "I would prefer it if you didn't do that… whatever you just did now… for a while. I'm not comfortable with it, and I'm sure you understand."

"Oh, yeah, sure, I suppose so," she wrinkled her nose in distaste, but moved into the previous distanced position, letting him he have his way.

Kenji smiled faintly, relieved that she was not going to argue, or try and convince him further of how they should be dancing the same way as everyone else was at the other social gatherings. Yet as he gently grasped her waist again, he felt her body sag, as if she was trying to subtly shift away from him, and he frowned in confusion - what exactly was it that she wanted? The girl acted strangely, seeming to want to entice him one moment, but then retracting from his hold the next instant; and of course, he could not calm the suspicions of his mind that she intended to bed him by the end of the night. The male student suddenly suspected her dancing excuse was just to get close to him, and he inwardly resolved that no matter tricks she might have up her sleeve, he would not allow his guard down again.

__

In the adolescent world of shrouded deception and cloaked intentions, the only outcome I can expect for myself is to be swept away the moment I show any signs of relenting. He glanced at his date, noting the way that she avoided his gaze, and was instead peering over his shoulder at goodness-knew-what, and not like he could immediately turn around and find out either. This Wendy, she was a mystery, and he somehow felt that if he did not catch a glimpse of her enigma soon, she would blur his vision, and duck his head underneath the clear, glass surface, preventing him from looking down the right path.


	18. Prom

****

Prom

_"Baby when we're grinding, I get so excited… Ooh, how I like it - I try. but I can't fight it… Oh, you're dancing real close; plus real, real slow… (You know what you're doing, don't you?) You're making it hard for me…"_

The slow, soothing music flowed throughout the room, calming the moods of the once fiery dancing couples and bringing a sense of solemnity to them all. Across the dance floor were full of girls in beautifully colored dresses, special and unique in their own sequined designs and sparkling patterns. Their corresponding partners appeared alike one another with their coal-black suits and slicked back hair by way of gel, along with crisp, shimmering matching formal shoes. The majority of the female students had decent sized corsages of delicate flowers either encasing their wrists, or pinned above the chest level on their attire. Even the teacher chaperones seemed to relax, as most of them had paired up amongst themselves to dance to the soft, melodious tune, just keeping a casual eye on the other youths.

Chocolate brown irises settled upon the head of dark blue hair moving about the dance floor, glaring daggers at the slim, feminine hands playing in the area near his shoulders, seemingly intending to encircle his neck. The feline zoanthrope scowled a bit at the popular girl's coy teasing of her former best friend, and forced herself to look away before her anger was fueled any higher. A forlorn sigh begged to be released from her lips, but she held it back, refusing to let free any emotions that would alarm or bring suspicion to her jade-haired partner. But just then, her stomach growled quietly, signaling its hunger, and Uriko immediately flushed in embarrassment, especially when her date looked up, glancing around as if trying to detect the source of the noise.

"I-I'm feeling a little hungry after all, I suppose," she mumbled into Cronos' ear, feeling her cheeks heat up at her admission. "Sorry, I know that I told you I didn't want to eat earlier, but…"

"It is all right, my sweet," he shushed reassuringly, his fingers gently trailing down along the curve of her spine upon her bare skin. "One of my chums had spoken of a snack bar in this room, and claimed they sold little bakery products, such as cakes, chocolates, and water, soda, or alcohol as a drink. Those small tables you see aligning the western wall of this room is where peoples would take their food to and feast, with their partners, of course. Would you like to purchase something there?"

A tiny smile graced her lips. "So that's what those tables were for…" she pulled back a bit, briefly peering into his eyes. "Sure, thanks for the offer."

"It is not a problem the least bit," he answered smoothly, his palm resting against her naked back as he guided her over to the snack bar, where the two met an attendant behind the bar counter, cleaning a glass mug.

The worker finished and set the large cup down onto the surface, the white rag right next to it, and then faced the prom duo with a greeting smile on his face. "Good evening, sir, madam. May I help you?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," the seventeen-year-old male spoke, glancing quickly at his female companion. "My lady hungers for delicatessen."

The person he was speaking to raised a brow at the formality, and turned toward Uriko hesitantly. "All right. What would you like to order, miss?"

She scanned the menu, and her eyes instantly brightened when they landed on a certain selection. "Chocolate mousse… mmm…"

"If that is so you desire, you shall have it," her date proclaimed, and she blinked as his wallet somehow appeared in his hands all of a sudden.

When the bar tender had placed her order atop the counter moments after, he paid for the slice of chocolate cake without any indecision. Feeling a bit flustered at his generosity; she voiced several thanks at him before taking a hold of the plate's slim edge, and remembered to reach for two of the plastic forks bundled together in a cup. With his palm still resting against her back, the pair strolled over to one of the small, intimate tables aligning the wall that were designated for couple seating. The auburn-haired student tucked her dress underneath the insteps of her knees and sat onto the petite wooden chair that had been pulled out by Cronos in decorum. He took his own place directly across from her, almost seeming to sit down with liquid ease, and then immediately moved his hand to cover atop hers.

"Your beauty puts the other residing ladies in this room to shame," he slicked smoothly, caressing her knuckles with the callused tips of his fingers and meeting her dark pupils with his intense jade yellow pair.

"Oh… hush already…" she giggled nervously, dropping her head and breaking the eye contact, which was making her feel uneasy because of his mysterious flirtatious mode.

"Surely you jest, my lady," Cronos continued suavely, lifting his arm to stroke her cheek with the back of a single digit. "Do you not like to hear the truth? This mustn't be the first time one has paid you a compliment, after all."

To stall in giving him a direct answer, she broke off a piece of the cake with her fork, and brought the mahogany morsel in-between her parted lips, the delicious sensation exploding on her tongue. Her taste buds shivered in delight, and she inwardly squealed; how she loved chocolate, the tender sweetness of the food always lasting until at last it dissolved to nothing. All the while, her partner watched intently, stationary, waiting her to response to his earlier question, hazy irises seeming to flicker with curiosity and impatience, then disappeared. Though she wanted to wait longer before replying him, the feline swallowed the bite, joyous that the flavor continued lingering in her mouth.

"You must be truly starved," he commented just as she was forking up another piece.

"Well, yeah, a bit." She replied before inserting the soft chunk into her mouth; when a little chocolate rubbed onto her chin, her companion instantly reached across the table and wiped the smudge off with his thumb. Flush crept over her cheeks, but she gave him a weak smile in thanks, and he patiently waited until she had finished the cake, and set the fork down on the empty plate. His eerie light eyes kept gazing at her, eventually bringing a feeling of slightly curious unease upon her, and the girl merely retained a contented expression on her face. For moments, he would calmly peer at her, stationary in his seat, as if pondering, brooding about something that was related to her, although of course she could not guess what he was thinking.

Finally averting her attention away, she casually sighed and glanced around at the dance floor, sweeping over the swaying forms of her friends, briefly catching Erika's eye and the two exchanged a knowing look. Continuing on, the Kenpo student focused on the stiff, lean figure of her zoanthrope compatriot and she instinctively began to chew on her lower lip. She faintly detected impatience in his mode when the usual sliver of pale orange shade in his irises flared with noticeable emotion that only showed in times of his high annoyance levels. Tilting her head to the side a bit, Uriko wondered why he was feeling that way, and then her gaze traveled along his body length, descending until she saw a pair of hands pressed firmly on his rear.

_Eww, making a move on him like that right in public…_ she wrinkled her nose in distaste. _What a shameless slu-_

"Lady Uriko?" Cronos spoke just then, interrupting her train of thought, peering at her with concern, then followed her direction of gaze. "Ah, Ohgami and Madam Wendy. They do make quite a striking pair together, yes?"

The feline didn't reply, and kept watching the duo. She felt a twinge of irritation ignite when her former friend frowned at his date's action, but made no move to distance himself from Wendy. The popular girl must have gotten bolder at his lack of resistance, because she then leaned toward his ear, and her lips moved as she said something, which made him flush with embarrassment. Scowling under her breath, the auburn-haired teenager turned back to her male school peer and was surprised to find him so close that his nose almost touched hers. He stared at her, a small flame in his hazy pupils enticingly inviting her to peek out of the thin shield protecting her being, and abandoning her doubts; she tilted her chin up and timidly met his lips.

_If he can act like he doesn't care about me, then I can pretend too._

*****

_Damn… stop this… Stop-it-stop-it-stop-it-stop-it…_

Kenji flinched at the feel of a wet presence slicking into the spiral of his earlobe, and one of his hands clenched into a fist as he fought the defensive urge to strike against the unwanted attention. His arms were loosely wrapped around the waist of his date, but he was forced into that close of contact due to her rigid, dogged insistence of being in such confined vicinity. A noise of disapproval growled deep in his throat, and he stiffened considerably, finding it hard to continue swaying to the slow music when he was so uncomfortable. The tension in his clavicle muscles increased especially the moment he glanced off to the side and spotted his former friend kissing his confounded rival.

__

How could you do this to me, Uriko… he wondered, a dark frown shadowing his features as he was distracted from noticing that Wendy had started to rub his back and posed over his neck with her mouth. A pang of ugly jealousy gnawed at his insides, making the ninja grimace in discomfort and yelp in surprise when he finally acknowledged a nibbling sensation on his throat. By impulse, he shoved the girl away from him, and she stumbled back, almost losing her balance as she sprawled to hit the wall, crying out when her shoulder came into contact with it forcefully. Forest green eyes shimmering with anger, she raised a hand and whipped it toward his face, but his quick reflexives allowed him to grasp a hold of her wrist before she could strike him.

"Ooooh, how could you do that to me, Kenji-kun!" She hissed, keeping the volume of her voice fairly low so the others paid no heed to the pair's conversation. "Why are you getting freaked out just because I was kissing you? Damn, you sure as hell weren't shy last weekend…"

Just hearing the mention pricked at his patience, and Kenji's brows knit together, coupled with a hideous snarl that escaped from his tightly pinched lips. She gasped at the fire burning in his almost-black pupils, and shifted away from him as best she could, although her back already met resistance so she had little distance to separate them. His other fist remained at his side, although it was twitching, as if he were ready at any moment to attack her with the same fury that reflected in his expression. Remembering the dream he had the night before when he realized that no such occurrence happened between the two, her remark fueled his anger and he could barely recall another time when he wanted to punch someone so badly.

"We did not sleep together last weekend, Wendy, did we?" he inquired coolly, and when she hesitated, his lips curled back in malice as he demanded, "_Did we?!_ Tell me the truth, damn it, I have the right to know!"

"Oh, calm down already," she smiled coyly, "I mean, does it really matter? You're making a big huge deal outta nothing, Kenji-kun."

"This is not **nothing**," he snapped agitatedly, his grip on her tightening, which made her wince and complain painfully. "I want to know! I want to hear the truth, from you especially, so that I can stop being plagued by this question lingering in a dark corner of my mind, wondering all the time whether or not I had foolishly given away my virtue-"

"Cut that freakin' crap already!" She responded with equal ire, throwing her arm down all of a sudden so that his grasp had loosened enough for her to wrench her hand free. Stepping over to the side, Wendy shot him a pouting glare and pursed her lips stubbornly as she daintily inspected her wrist, moaning in distress when she spied a faint red ring imprinted in her skin. "Great, now look what you did to me! You hurt my hand, Kenji-kun!!"

"That is your _wrist_, not your hand," he informed her, a slight hint of smugness in his tone. "At your age and school grade level, you even fail to correctly identify the separate parts of your body."

"Oh!" Wendy bit off crisply, her eyes narrowing in disdain and she grumbled, "Shit, whoever knew you'd get so spazzed about some stupid thing like this! All right, all right, if you're gonna get so butt-hurt about not knowing, I'll tell you. No, we didn't sleep together last weekend, okay? But!" she barreled on when a deadly glint appeared in his irises, "the other stuff I mentioned, like you going to the party and getting drunk and all, that was true! You got drunk off your ass, and we _did_ dance together at the party, and I'd suggested that we go to a bedroom, but you said you were gonna barf, and I didn't see you after that."

"…How did I get drunk?" the mole zoanthrope inquired, direly curious about how he had reached his intoxicated state during the previous weekend. His emotions cooled down a bit, and his hands released into their default casual position, now that he was feeling less angry and hungering to discover more about the party night's events. His eyes turned pleading as he murmured in question, "Wendy, tell me, tell me all that you know about what happened at the party last weekend…"

"The hell should I know," she shrugged, exasperation dripping in her attitude that suggested she was fibbing. "Everyone gets wasted at Daki's famous parties, ever since the first one, that's why so many people go. His parties are totally free, wild, _fun_! It's like a college frat party, only in high school."

He blinked while a blank look inhibited his face. "College frat party…?"

"Never mind," the redhead waved her hand dismissively. "Can't believe that with all her experience, your dear friend Uriko hasn't taught you the ropes yet. I mean, seriously, with all that she knows, I thought that she'd at least clue you in on the basics! But, whatever, she never was the ideal teacher, I guess." She shrugged in conclusion.

"…All right…"

"Anyway, I gotta go use the little girls' room," Wendy giggled and curved his chin with her fingertips. "Don't run away while I'm gone, cutie." With that, she whirled around and disappeared into the crowd, proceeding to the other side where the lavatories in the room were located, leaving him standing alone.

__

…Damn, how I wish I could get the hell out of here right now… Kenji thought wistfully, despite her warning him not to run off during her absence. Shaking his head and accompanying the motion with an aggravated sigh, he pivoted away from the direction she had left in, eyeing the door somewhat conspicuously.

"Leaving already?" A voice asked him softly from behind.

Raising a brow but not feeling in the mood to be rude, he turned to face the speaker, his eyes widening when he saw who stood before him. "Uriko…?"

She nodded as if to confirm, then requested quietly, "Don't leave without dancing one song with me."

_She wants to dance… with **me**… after that argument we so recently had?_ "…Where's your Prince Charming?" he countered, mouth set in a firm poise, and he tried to appear somewhat intimidating to her, yet wanted to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. "I didn't think he would leave your side after you two were so… intrigued with each other as this whole room just witnessed a few minutes ago."

Uriko squirmed, an uneasy feeling forming in the pit of her stomach, and she wrung her hands together, wrinkling the material of her white gloves. "If you're talking about the kiss, that didn't really mean anything. I mean, it just felt like something I should do, you know, since he and I are prom dates to each other anyway… But," she glanced up at him; "he's off somewhere, playing pool with a couple of his friends in this other room with a bunch of games in it. And anyway, Kenji, I didn't come here to talk about Cronos, I just wanted to ask if you'd to dance with me, that's all."

He opened his mouth to refuse, but when he caught the silent plea in her eyes, he found himself relenting and replying instead, "All right."

She smiled at him nervously, and Kenji hid his emotions with nonchalance as he wordlessly took her hand, and led her away from the walls of the room, into the crowd of the dance floor. Stopping when they were somewhere in the middle, he faced her, an emotionless look inhibiting his pupils when he stepped in a bit closer, and placed his hands on her slender waist. Hesitancy aligned her features as the young feline gingerly slipped her arms around his neck, and fought the urge to tremble when she felt his grip on her sides tighten more securely. Her head tilted up instinctively when the two began to slowly sway to the soothing music, and their eyes locked, both desperately trying not to emit any signs of showing their hidden thoughts of slight distaste regarding the prom.

The sixteen-year-old female sighed unconsciously, staring at her dancing partner as intently as he was doing to her, warning herself in danger of drowning in his dark irises, the deep brown pools of shrouded sentiment. Able to read his moods before, tell how he was feeling, she was unsure of what was running through his mind now, and wondered if anything serious would develop between him and Wendy. Surely he could see right into her fake act and sly intentions, and would not bother to waste his time on her when he had other, much better issues to address, right? Once she got what she wanted, she would just drop him, but after having some fun first, and the moment that she got bored, he would be gone and she'd move on to her next conquest.

_I can't keep worrying about Kenji,_ the Kenpo student thought, scolding herself inwardly. _He can take care of himself after all. And even if he gets hurt by Wendy… he'll be able to easily recover, I know it. Hmm, after all, if Kenji can avoid drowning from the pain of his past, then this…thing…with Wendy should be no problem for him._

Feeling assured, Uriko let a small sigh escape from between her lips, and forgetting her current situation, she relaxed and laid her head on the chest of her zoanthrope compatriot, causing his eyes to slightly widen in surprise. He glanced down at her, the silky strands of her long brown hair almost close enough to tease his cheeks, and couldn't help the tiny smile that curved the corners of his mouth at her peaceful appearance. The tension that had stiffened his shoulders released, and he removed a hand from her waist to settle it upon her back, instinctively jolting because of the bare contact. But he quickly calmed his emotions, and rested his palm against her smooth skin, lightly tickling her when he trailed the tips of his fingers in a circular motion upon her flesh.

Deciding to fully give into the warmth and comfort, Kenji cuddled her more closely, and allowed his eyelids to slide down halfway, ignoring all the other people around. In their own private little world, the two were alone together, with no one to bother or disrupt them from their contention, and he sighed rapturously, abandoning himself from thinking, and escaping to pure sensation.


	19. Storm

****

Storm

_He looks… looks so… distinguished._ _ And… he seems so serious. _ Slowly and shyly, Uriko shifted her head slightly, glanced off to the side, catching the eyes of a few of her school peers, noting the knowing grins on their faces. Shrugging a bit at them, she looked away and tightened her grasp around her dancing partner's neck, pressing her soft cheek against the crisp black material of his suit. She felt heat radiating from his lean body, bringing a soothing feeling to her own, and the comfort ensued a dreamy smile to brighten her features. His warm palm was resting on her back, his fingertips still continuing to circle upon her bare skin, and she sighed breathlessly when she felt his lips gently brush across the side of her forehead, near her temple, where her prom date had kissed just a day ago…

"Ahem, **excuse** me!" A high-pitched voice squealed from over her shoulder, jolting the feline up from her comfortable position, and she stepped away from her zoanthrope compatriot, turning around to identify who was speaking.

"Wendy…" the cobalt-haired ninja mumbled, removing his arms from Uriko, but stood closely by her side. "You're back."

"Damn right I'm back!" the girl's vivid green eyes were flickering with visible annoyance. "But I bet you sure as hell wish I wasn't, so you could keep on dancing with _her_!" She pointed an accusing finger at the aforementioned.

"Am I not allowed to dance with other people?" He inquired coolly, fixing a nonchalant look at her. "You are not my keeper, Wendy. I have free will."

"Yeah, whatever, but, but, with… with her!" She continued jabbing a digit in the other female's face, who moved backwards to avoid being touched.

"And what is wrong with Uriko?" Kenji asked calmly, raising a brow in amusement at the scene unfolding before him. "I could be dancing with another girl aside from her; but would that really make much more of a difference?"

"Yes! Yes, there is a difference!" Wendy countered in a low hiss, glaring at the Kenpo student; thankfully, the other teenagers around the trio paid no attention to their dilemma. "Her, her, her! It's always her! Uriko's freaking always number one to you, isn't she?? The apple of your eye, Kenji-kun! Why don't you just stop giving us girls hope, and go out with her already, so at least we know you're taken and wouldn't keep on trying to get your attention!"

_…Eek._ Uriko blushed in embarrassment when she saw that a few people had noticed what was happening between the three, and turned their heads in the direction with curious eyes. _Oh God please let this be over quick, let this be over quick…_

"Do you have something against a guy and a girl just being nothing more than best friends, Wendy?" the mole zoanthrope inquired, crossing his arms over his chest, avoiding commenting on her earlier exclamation. "I have no interest in dating. Why can't you and your friends take the hint? I'm young, I have to concentrate in my school studies and prepare for my future; you and your popular crowd can't even plan what you're going to have for lunch next week! We're just one year away from graduating, which will come up sooner than some may think, and you're worrying about which girl at our school is going to date me?"

He paused to shake his head. "It's time to grow up and stop fawning over petty issues like this, Wendy. To be honest, when I started this school in my freshman year, I anticipated being alone until the day I graduated; I never intended befriend or get close to anyone. But," he gazed at the auburn-haired girl standing next to him with fondness shimmering in his dark irises, "that apparently changed. And I'm not unhappy with the results. I am pleased that I have a best friend, and I couldn't care less that she's of the opposite sex, just as long as she is there for me when I need someone, and she has been."

_Kenji…_ Uriko tilted her chin up to look at him, her mouth slightly parted in surprise at his public, revealing admission, and felt wetness prick at the corners of her eyes. A fast-paced, noisy song had started up a minute ago, and had fortunately drowned out most of the conversation they were exchanging, so that any inquisitive ears surrounding the trio presumably had not heard everything.

But the popular redhead did not seem fazed by his declaration, and instead twisted her lips into a cold, knowing smile. "Best friend my ass, Kenji-kun. If any of **my** friends did of the things you did, or looked at me the way you do to her, then I'd give myself a nice, fat reality check slap. I don't care what you say, how you try to deny it, but I know now that you do like her, you just don't wanna admit it, or maybe you're scared to."

All of a sudden, as if hit by a mood change, Wendy flashed him a bright, cheerful grin that was evidently fake, and announced aloud, "I'm _soooo_ sorry Kenji-kun, but I just can't be with you anymore; I've got way too many other admirers to pay some attention to! I'm sure you understand!"

His eyes widened and his lips thinned into a line, obviously agitated by her exaggerated show to defend her own reputation, while dealing damage to his pride. She never cared about him, but instead loved the hunt, the conquest and adrenaline rush of pursuing him, and after she got what she wanted, he would probably be discarded for another candidate. He nodded, finally realizing her initial intention, and felt a surge of anger rise in his throat that he was so foolish in not realizing that earlier. Flames of ire leaping in his bleak pupils, Kenji fought the insistent, inward urge to wipe the smug look off her face, and bit at her icily, "Sure, Wendy. I understand perfectly."

"Alrighty then!" she chirped cheerfully, reaching over and squeezing his arm firmly with a sly wink, "Ciao!" Turning around, she immediately waved to a friend, and rushed over in the direction, leaving him as if his presence of little importance had never even been there in the first place.

The dark-haired ninja gazed toward where the redhead disappeared off to for a full minute, before instantly pivoting to one side and pushing his way into the crowd of dancing teens. Gasping softly in shock at what just happened, Uriko shook herself out of the stunned state and started to follow her zoanthrope compatriot, weaving through the cluster of students. He walked so quickly, and she soon realized that he was heading for the double door exits of the hotel, as if he direly wished to leave the place right at that moment. She quickened her pace, gripping the thin strap of the small black kitten purse in one fist and splaying her other hand over her chest in effort to jog.

"Kenji!" She called to him while he stepped outside into the breezy, diamond-sparkled night, but did not obey her command and continued strolling away from her. "Hey Kenji, wait up!!"

"What do you want?!" The sixteen-year-old male snapped, whirling to face her. "Why did you follow me out here? Don't you want to go back inside with your sweetheart, Dakinasha??"

"I… um…" she glanced down briefly, then nervously met his eyes. "Th-thanks for sticking up for me back there… you know, with Wendy. You really didn't have to screw up your reputation for me though-"

"That little show wasn't for _your_ sake, my dear," he drawled coolly with sarcasm tainting his words, hazy brown irises flashing defensively at her. "I just happened to figure out what buttons of Wendy's to push in order to tick her off, and thankfully, I was right so now she's off my back. I don't have to deal with her anymore, and I couldn't be more elated." He hissed lowly, "But don't be getting a big head in thinking that performance of mine was all for you, because the world doesn't revolve around Uriko Nonomura."

Her vision grew blurry, but she hurriedly blinked the tears back. "I-I never said you did that all for me, I was just thanking you for… for coming to my defense when Wendy was lashing out at me about… about our friendship." The Kenpo student clenched the hand on her chest into a shaky fist, being careful not to wrinkle her formal prom outfit, while her body trembled with emotion. "B-but then you go and… and say those things…"

He sighed heavily, and raised his arm to touch her shoulder, but she stepped back from him, partially circling around and starting to march away, the flat bottoms of her low heels clicking as they came into contact with the concrete ground. Gritting his teeth in frustration with her and himself as well, it was he this time that trailed behind the retreating figure of his companion. Sensing his presence right behind her, she broke into somewhat of a run, as her shoe wear made it difficult to stride very quickly. Persistently, Kenji continued following her, catching up to her shivering form with no trouble, yet when he attempted to stop her by taking a hold of her elbow, she threw his comfort off. "Uriko…"

"Leave me alone, quit following!" the feline exclaimed, pivoting to face him while resisting the urge to slap him across the face since she was so annoyed at his sudden change of attitude. "What's **with** you and your mood swings lately? You're angry one second, and comforting the next, why, Kenji? Why do you keep changing like this, from Dr. Jerkill to Mr. Hyde? And if you try to blame this on hormones or something, I'll shove you down on your butt."

His lips quirked into a slight smirk and his eyes twinkled at her teasingly as he chuckled, reaching his arm across and barely brushing his fingers against her cheek. "Now that is the former passionate-emotion friend of mine with her fiery temper whenever she feels is necessary to portray them, if I remember correctly."

"Whatever…" she mumbled under her breath. _…I wish I could go home now._

"Don't deprive yourself of deserved credit," he told her matter-of-factly, snagging a stray strand of her long brown bangs and gently tucking it behind her ear. _I should get going soon… I have no desire in remaining at the prom until it ends; there is no possibility that I can last to midnight's arrival._

"Stop with your sweet words," she murmured, jolting in surprise when a clash of thunder sounded from above and rain pelted downward from the dark gray clouds lingering in the area overhead.

Looking up, Uriko blinked when a wet drop landed near her right eye, and immediately lowered her face, making a run back for the secure shelter of the hotel. The chilly wind encircled her body, biting at the vulnerable bared skin of her back, and a flicker of a wince was all the signs she showed of discomfort. Ducking his head down, her schoolmate followed her example, pacing right by her side, not wanting to ruin his suit on his very first time wearing it. As the two proceeded over to the tall, looming building, the raindrops fell harder, the forcefulness making it seem as if little pebbles were descending from the sky.

"This is great, just great," the auburn-haired student complained breathlessly as she shook her head, sending sprinkles of water spraying all over the place while her hands absentmindedly brushed the water droplets off of her dress. She entered the hotel through the front door instead of around the side where the prom event was located, and when her companion portrayed a curious look, she explained, "I don't want to go back to the prom anymore than you do, trust me."

"…But why?" he inquired, raising a brow at her while a suspicious glint lingered in his pupils as he snorted in disbelief. "After all, I'm sure you wouldn't want to abandon your friends in there, as well as your precious _date_, or maybe I should refer to him as your beau instead."

"Oh, hush up already," she hissed, feeling a bit impatient with his snootiness. "If you despise me so much, Kenji, then tell me to go and I will, all right?? But don't make me stand here and put up with your little attitude problem! I'm trying to offer my company so that you won't be alone - quit trying to drive me away unless you really mean it, unless you really want me to leave you here. By yourself. For who knows how long, until that stupid storm outside ends." She glared at the wetness slicking the hotel windows, as if angry at the interference preventing her from leaving and returning to her residence. "Hey, what about your car, did you put the roof-"

"-Down?" Kenji finished her question, then allowed a partial grin to grace his lips. "For once, Wendy's complaining actually did something good; while I was driving to this hotel, she kept moaning about how the wind was messing up her hair or whatnot, so she made me put down the roof." He shrugged nonchalantly. "Hm, I suppose that earlier episode was fortunate, for now that a storm has hit, the interior of my convertible can remain intact."

"Uh huh, sure, as long as your car is okay, you know." There was a slight teasing edge to her tone of voice. "But I wonder how long the rain is gonna last. It'll be over in twenty minutes tops, right?"

"I don't know," he answered, stealing a quick look at the clock. "It's almost ten o'clock. Hopefully the storm will be gone by fifteen after, but there's no telling of or control in the weather's strange patterns."

She sighed, and strolled over to one of the many chairs in the lobby of the hotel, plopping down onto the soft, royal blue cushions, then placed her elbows on the armrests, motioning for her companion to do the same. After he had sat down next to her, the sixteen-year-old female unzipped her purse, and took out a small rectangular carton, tilting toward his face. "Wanna play cards while we wait?"

The corner of his mouth quirked up in a half-smile, he nodded in agreement, and she listed a few choices as she dealt out the appropriate number of cards. The two spent an unknown period of time enjoying the games with each other while wet drops splattered across the outside of the large windows of the building. There was little need for conversation, and only the hotel receptionist witnessed the ongoings between the pair, like the furtive glances they would shoot each other occasionally. An innocent brief touch of his arm from his school peer would make the ninja flush faintly, and he'd quickly try to rid of the emotion, hiding his inner thoughts within the safe sanctuary of his mind. Sometimes, non-verbal expression was the best form of communication for the duo, even though there would always be that inward inquiry wondering what the other was thinking.

"Grrr! You beat me this time!"

Kenji laughed softly, throwing the girl a confident smirk as he chimed in, "Yes, finally, after how many other rounds? About thirty? You're a lot better at Speed than I am, and to actually win you just a single round is amazing and a rare result to witness, that's for sure."

"Hrmp, I let you win that time and you know it," she retorted, but stuck her tongue out and winked at him to show that she was kidding.

"Oh?" A grin formed over his lips. "Not willing to admit that perhaps you are _not_ unbeatable, as you have claimed numerous times before when it is clearly obvious that it's indeed the opposite?"

"Aw, be quiet, Kenji!" She scolded playfully, flicking a card that flew straight into his nose, then giggled joyously. "Teehee, got ya!"

"Brat," he kidded with a low chuckle, then his eyes happened to catch sight of the clock that hung upon the wall again. "Hey, look at the time… it's already a little past eleven…"

With a surprised expression, Uriko followed his gaze and discovered that he was right, but a quick glance at the windows informed that the storm _still_ had not ended, and it was getting late. "So, what're we gonna do…? I mean, it's going to be midnight before we know it…"

He shrugged, then cautiously suggested, "Well, worst comes to worst, we could rent a room here overnight if the storm is still going on by the time it's twelve. Better than trying to drive all the way home with slippery roads; I don't want to risk getting into an accident or anything of the sort."

"But you have to have a credit card to rent a room at hotels, Kenji," she responded, giving him a slightly skeptical look. "Unless you suddenly got one this morning or something, I don't think you have a credit card…"

"My brother lent me his - with a spending limit, of course," the cobalt-haired teenager informed her with a wry grin, reaching his hand into his pocket for a black leather wallet, and flashed her the card securely tucked in its plastic pocket. "Maybe it's a good thing that he and Alice are out of town right now, that way, they won't be here to worry about us not coming home if we should have to resort to staying overnight at this hotel."

The feline sighed quietly, turning her head to glance outside, where sheets of rain were still pouring down from the sky, and she could make out the slick wetness gleaming from the streets. The few people that were strolling along the sidewalks all had umbrellas prompted up over their heads and even that protection did not save their clothing from being doused with water. Averting her attention back inside, the sixteen-year-old peered down at her formal red attire, brushing her fingers across the smooth, satin material. Her lengthy auburn bangs fell upon her forehead, grazing briefly against her eyelids, and she pursed her lips upward, blowing them away from her face.

"You know what people are gonna think if they find out we rented a room together overnight." She phrased that as a statement instead of a question, but then gazed at her companion and inquired, "Wait, or do you?"

He ground his teeth inside his mouth, managing to answer, "Yes. I am not as naïve as you assume me to be."

"All right then." The Kenpo student arose from her seat, gathering the stray playing cards together and tucking them back into the little box. "Just so you know the risks; now, are you still willing to rent that room?"

A cool, emotionless smile grazed his expression and he stood up as well, fixating his light brown eyes at her, intimidating the girl to take a small step backwards. "Is there a reason why you are acting so tentative about staying in a hotel room overnight with me? Are you afraid that I will try to coax you into bed, Uriko?"

She gasped softly at his bluntness, and turned her face away as if she were unfamiliar with the very notion of his presumption, but her blushing reaction betrayed her emotions. "Kenji! What a thing to ask!"

"Worry not, my dear." Kenji assuredly her apathetically, resisting the urge to roll his eyes in exasperation as he started walking toward the front desk, his wallet in hand. "I won't do anything to you. I'm just trying to provide you shelter, a temporary place to stay; it's not necessary that you have to make wild assumptions that question my character, now is it?" He then muttered to himself underneath his breath, "I'm not Dakinasha, after all."

With a heavy sigh that wracked her body, the female teenager ducked her head and followed after her zoanthrope compatriot, and despite his mocking words, she was unable to deny the pounding of her heart that grew fiercer. A suspicious yet wicked little part of her mind anticipated and pondered what could happen between them if they did in fact rent a room together. _Staying overnight alone in a hotel room on prom night… _She shook her head aimlessly, trying to convince herself that nothing would happen, since this was Kenji after all, who treated her with no more interest than that of a friend. _You never know…_ the voice within whispered spitefully as she halted when arriving right beside the ninja, and she bit her lip a little in nervousness, and could not deny the premonition that insisted this night was going to be more meaningful than she gave credit for.


	20. Fantasy

****

Fantasy

__

Rustle, rustle. The receptionist had his head down as he was ruffling through a manila folder of papers, not even noticing the two teenagers that had approached, standing before him.

"Ahem… Excuse me…" Kenji voiced, clearing his throat as the man glanced up at him with a partially interested expression on his face. "I-I would… I would like to rent a room…"

"Yes, sir, madam." He replied in a bemused tone, turning toward the electronic equipment sitting upon the desk and hovered his fingers above the keyboard as he cast his customers a neutral look, mostly addressing the ninja. "How many days?"

"Uh, j-just overnight," he stammered a nervous reply, presenting the credit card and placing it on the cool marble surface of the counter. "Yeah, th-that will be all…"

"Oh, relax," his female companion assured him warmly, and rested her hand on his forearm, squeezing him briefly while she turned to gaze at him with a comforting smile; he merely nodded in silent agreement.

"That will be no problem," the man responded nonchalantly, taking the form of payment and processing information into the computer before confirming, "Mr. Yugo Ohgami?"

Not used to lying, Kenji felt flush crept up on his neck but when his schoolmate laid her head down onto his shoulder in wordless encouragement, he was able to manage a quick, "Yes."

The hotel worker seemed to buy it, and slid the card through the thin slot of a small box that presumably kept a record of the bill, then he handed the thin rectangular object back to its temporary owner. The cobalt-haired ninja tucked it back into his wallet, and sheathed that into his pocket, unable to meet the receptionist's eye when he set a chain with a single key onto the counter and informed the pair, "Your room number is two-six-nine, Mr. Ohgami. Thank you, have a good night, and we hope you enjoy your stay."

"Thank you very much too!" Uriko exclaimed enthusiastically, dislodging herself from the arm of her school peer and immediately grabbed the keychain, then strode over to the lobby where the elevators aligned the walls. She looked back at her friend, "Come on, slowpoke, let's go!"

A weak smile grazing his lips, he started after her, but paused when the man at the front desk spoke to him a bit quietly, "Mr. Ohgami, pardon me…"

The sixteen-year-old male pivoted to face the speaker, suddenly afraid that his true identity had been realized, and wondered if he would get in trouble for lying about being his brother. "Yes…?"

"I believe you may need this," the receptionist suggested calmly as he reached underneath the desk and produced a small box, handing it to Kenji; "Since this is prom night, these are completely free of charge."

The mole zoanthrope blinked in confusion and glanced down, his eyes widening when he realized the contents of the cardboard case while his cheeks began to flush red. He looked at the hotel worker incredulously, and without a word of thanks, whirled around and ran over to his companion, hurriedly tucking the box into the large pocket of his suit top. A soft ding noised when the elevator arrived, and Uriko eagerly stepped inside the small section, the key dangling from the bottom of her fist. Wordlessly, the male student followed suit, staring blankly at the wall and his friend did not seem to acknowledge his current mood as she pushed the button for the floor of where their room was located.

The steady hum of the lift rising felt somewhat soothing to his tensed nerves, and he sighed silently under his breath, relaxing enough to allow his eyelids to slide down to a close. He distinctly heard the smooth humming of his friend's voice, her warm tone emitting a melodious tune that delightfully soared into his ears, an invisible form of comfort. A ding corresponding to the first one beforehand sounded at that moment, jolting his eyes open just as the mechanical doors moved to the side, slipping into a slot in the wall. The feline zealously stepped out into the hallway, scanning the numbers on the numerous maroon-colored doors to find the room they would be staying in.

"Aha, here it is!" She exclaimed a few seconds later, and inserted the key into the lock; fumbling and turning the knob while Kenji listlessly trailed behind, stopping when he was standing next to her.

She pushed the tall frame in an inward motion to enter the vicinity, and reached her hand to the side to turn on the lights, then spread her arms wide as she proceeded forward as if to embrace the room. He glanced around; unimpressed by the normal aspects of a television set at the front, while a few feet adjacent was a small tan wooden table paired with two comfortable plush blue chairs. There was a shut door located on the right that he presumed to be the lavatory, and against the opposite wall from it was the single king-sized bed. Covering that were snow-white sheets with large designs of various flowers and different colored roses, spidery green vines entwining around in circular patterns.

The cobalt-haired ninja blinked in confusion, and his voice choked a little as he commented, "Th-there's only one bed… for the two of us…"

Turning to peer at him, Uriko shot him a strange look and nodded slightly. "Yeah… I guess that means we'll have to share. You… okay with that?"

She was startled when her companion released a low, vicious growl, as if he were direly angry at the concept of sharing the space with her, but she did not understand why, as there was more than enough room in it to fit them both. Bounding over to it, she plopped onto the mattress, bouncing jauntily for a bit, noticing after a few minutes that her friend was still glaring at the bed through heavy-lidded eyes. The Kenpo student slid backwards, propping herself up against the wall, resting her hands on her knees as she looked at him curiously and inquired, "Is… is something wrong, Kenji?"

"That stupid man at the front desk…" he muttered darkly, and she had to strain to hear his next words, "Assuming things that have no relevance to his business." With a quick flick of his wrist, the auburn-haired girl spotted a small, flat rectangular box sail through the air and land onto the pillow next to the one she was sitting upon.

She peered at the object curiously, reading the labels and resisted the urge to gasp softly when she realized what the contents inside were. "Oh boy… Kenji, is that a…"

"Condom. It is a box containing damn condoms." Her former friend answered with disdain coating his tone. "I am extremely irritated with the receptionist's presumption that because you and I are merely finding refuge here overnight together that we will submit to 'typical teenage hormones'."

"Oh well, I'm not really surprised that any of the hotel staff members would assume that of us," she remarked with a nonchalant shrug. "After all, a lot of people who go to the prom will tend to stay at the hotel overnight with their dates, since they want to-" All of a sudden, she broke off her sentence, an embarrassed flush tainting her cheeks. "Never mind…"

"Engage in sexual intercourse with each other?" Kenji supplied for her helpfully, his voice cool and emotionless.

She blushed even more deeply at his bluntness and dipped her head down to gaze at the carpeted floor. "Wow, Kenji, you really have been speaking your mind out loud lately…"

"Would you like me to censor myself?" he countered instantly, taking on a slightly defensive edge.

"No, no, it's okay…" the girl glanced up to meet his eyes and raised her hands in defeat. "I'm just a little surprised. But pleasantly, of course!"

"I am sure you are." He answered coolly, quickly glancing at the clock hanging on the wall before averting his attention to the door leading into the bathroom. "It's eleven-twenty. Maybe we should be getting ready to go to sleep right about now."

She sighed in wordless agreement and shrugged aimlessly. "All right, sure. But I'm gonna take a shower before I go to bed; I feel kinda sweaty in this dress after wearing it in such warm weather for so many hours."

"Go ahead," the ninja encouraged, waving his hand toward the lavatory. "I will take mine after you are finished." She nodded, and started heading in that direction, but then he thought of something and spoke up, "Wait… Did you bring a nightgown or other appropriate wear for sleeping…?"

"No…" Uriko informed him, biting her lip. "I didn't think something like this would happen… But hey, this is a fancy hotel, they've got to either have robes in the bathroom, or those huge towels - something like that, right?"

"I don't know." He replied calmly. "I have never stayed in a room of this particular hotel before."

"Me neither," she empathized before continuing to head into the bathroom. After a bit of exploration inside, her voice called back out to him, "Yup, they've got robes in here! All right then, I'm gonna shower now; see you in a while!"

Nodding even though he knew full well that she could not see his action, Kenji walked over to one of the large chairs and sat onto the soft blue cushion, leaning his upright elbow upon the armrest. Sitting quietly for a few moments, he brooded over the events of the night: his initial reaction of shock when he saw his rival kissing his zoanthrope compatriot. How quickly Wendy had dropped him as soon as she saw him dancing with his friend, and then the way he had to practically assure Uriko that he cared nothing about his reputation before she agreed to stay in the room overnight with him. He thoroughly enjoyed spending time in her presence, but when they were on the dance floor together, he'd had to fight back an inner urge that whispered for him to take her in his arms and kiss her sweet lips.

"Riko…" a sudden inspirational nickname emitted from him just then, and he jolted in bewilderment, wondering how that had suddenly surfaced to his mind. But when the ninja paused and momentarily pondered the endearment, he felt a smile form over his mouth and he breathed again, "…Riko." _It sounds rather… cute. Like Uriko herself._

His emotional stress finally caught up with him, and his eyelids drooped slightly, emphasizing his fatigue yet he tried to fight against the tiredness, as he needed to shower before going to sleep. Catching sight of the remote control sitting atop the television set, the mole zoanthrope stood up and retrieved it, then went back to his seat. Clicking the "on" button, he waited as the screen flickered into view, and mused over the action movie that was currently being shown, watching for a bit, grimacing at the noise level of the multiple explosions occurring. He changed channels, and unfortunately came across shots of two nude people intertwined in each other; immediately realizing what it was, his face twisted into a look of disgust and he turned the TV off. _What's wrong with the world these days? So much of this… pornography garbage. Truly disturbing._

He was unaware of how much time had slipped by as he delved into inquiring thoughts of how strange the youth society surrounding him had become. Why was it that it seemed as if every other teenager knew what was going on, and he was always either the last to realize the situation, or when he finally did, it was already time for a new trend to begin? Entangled in his thoughts, Kenji did not notice that his friend had opened the bathroom door and stepped back into the suite, wearing a cotton robe and sporting a white towel wrapped around her hair. She went to the table in which he was located nearby, and set her clothes upon the surface, folded up neatly in a stack, then placed her low-heeled footwear beside it.

It was not until she had strolled right in front of his face and snapped her fingers that he was startled back into reality, and slowly raised his head to meet her eyes with his. "…Uriko. You are finished?"

She nodded, giggling lightheartedly. "What, you wanted me to take longer? I've already been in there for over twenty minutes! Oh and there's no bathtub inside, but a Jacuzzi! I loved it; you should really try that out yourself when you go take your shower."

"Perhaps I will." He complied with a half-smile gracing his lips.

Arising from the plush chair, the dark-haired ninja glanced at her meaningfully, and briefly touched her shoulder before strolling toward the lavatory, missing the faint hint of longing that lingered in her eyes. He flicked the light switch on and shut the door behind him, taking in the sights of the pale blue tiles of the wall, while feeling the crisp black marble floor under his shoes. Paying no attention to the normal attributes of a restroom, toilet and sink, he moved right on to peering at the single bathrobe hanging from a hook next to what he presumed to be the Jacuzzi. Indeed, as his friend had informed him just seconds ago, there was a wide, circular tub that delved into the floor with several little holes aligning the rim.

__

There's always a first time for everything, Kenji thought, shrugging nonchalantly as he stripped his clothing off, and folded each article of clothing up before placing them on the counter aside the faucet. Descending to ground level near the Jacuzzi, he inspected a small box with a switch on it pointing down toward "Off", and matter-of-factly flicked it upward at "On". A rumbling noise began to drift into the air and streams of water forced their ways out from the holes, filling the tub and being drained away at the bottom. He smirked a bit, and stepped into the vat, stretching his legs out across the distance, leaning his arms over the rim and slid more deeply down under the surface.

__

Mmmm… A slight grin touched his lips as he thought of how much his female companion must have enjoyed being in the Jacuzzi herself, surrounded by the tepid comfort. That led his mind to conjuring up a certain picture of her in his mind that he felt ashamed of thinking, and he grimaced, silently scolding himself for being so perverted. Her delicate pink lips curved in a luscious smile, chocolate brown eyes twinkling impishly, he imagined her being held tightly in his arms, and leaning toward her for a sensuous kiss. And as if on cue, a tickling sensation started on his chest, making him eject a soft groan, thinking of how it would feel to have her delicate fingers trickling over his skin.

Soothed by the low, steady hum of the whirlpool jets that shot streaks of the warm, clear liquid swirling around his lower body, the sixteen-year-old sighed in contentment and allowed his thoughts to run astray. He could almost feel the smooth palms of the auburn-haired girl's hands gliding over his lean pectoral muscles, curved fingertips barely brushing against his flat male nipples. They left to lightly scratch their way down along his body, tickling the shallow delve of his bellybutton, making the ninja release a slightly strained hiss of unspoken approval. And at an agonizingly slow pace, the slender fingers continued the journey, nearing his waist, seeming to head for the portion of his body that was most sensitive to all aspects of touch.

__

Riko… A low groan rumbled deep in his throat as an image of her face flickered briefly in his mind. **_My_** Uriko…

His eyes still closed, Kenji tightly sealed his lips shut to contain the noise of pleasure that threatened to escape when the soothingly soft palms traveled lower, down past the surface of the water, touching his bare, uncovered skin. A breathless gasp emitted from him when the hands passed his pelvis area and firm, but slender fingers boldly wrapped around his stiffening member, which was eagerly awaiting more erotic affection. He hissed in encouragement, especially when the petal soft contact trickled up and down along the pulsating length, making his blood circulate to his nether regions. The dark-haired teenager groaned aloud at the warm water soothing his tensed muscles, and the seemingly skillful, seductive caresses that were leisurely reducing him to panting with each passing moment.

"Uhhh…" he grunted, straining to control his emotions, his fists balled up tightly as they laid upon the marble surface next to the tub.

"Shhh… Let it go, Kenji…" the angel's whisper drifted into his ears, tickling his sensations; "It's okay… just let your feelings flow free…"

_…Free…?_ He pondered weakly, wanting to succumb to the mewling urge.

The tempo of the caressing motion increased, the pace going faster until his breathing rhythm matched the speed, his chest constricting from trying to hold his emotions back. Finally, he succumbed to the seductive torture, and felt the stiff tension drain out of his muscles when substance was released from the tip of his male organ. Muffling his groan of pleasure by pressing his lips tightly together, the ninja was wracked by several shuddering sighs of relief before he weakly slid his eyelids up open. Blinking in slight confusion, he glanced at his hands, which were still resting atop the surface of the floor, but his knuckles looked white as he was tightly clenching the rims.

_What… what was that…?_ He wondered breathlessly, releasing his hold so that he could bring his hands to his eyes and rub them. _I… That was just a… a dream of some sort, right…? Or maybe…_ His gaze traveled to the surface of the water, where a bit of white-colored liquid was distorting the clearness. _…Maybe that was one of those… weren't they called 'fantasies'… the sex education instructor was informing the guys in class about._

Kenji shook his head, feeling pathetic that he had envisioned such eroticism in his fantasy, and even moreso, it was about his very own best friend touching him, of all people! Certain that he would not be able to look her straight in the eyes ever again, he practically leaped up out of the tub, grabbed the bathrobe hanging from the hook and threw it around his body. After tightly securing the sash about his waist, he bent down and flicked the switch to turn the water flow off, doing the same to the lights in the lavatory before stepping back out into the main room. He scanned the area quickly, searching for his friend, and was extremely relieved to see her already under the covers in bed, breathing lightly to signify her current sleeping state.

__

I suppose she was very tired… he mused with a sigh of relief that he would not have to exchange any embarrassing, awkward conversation with her at the moment, and hoped she'd sleep for quite some time. Absentmindedly running a hand through his dark blue hair, the male student slowly strolled over to where she was slumbering, and gazed intently at her peaceful form for a few minutes. The blanket was all the way up to her chin, shielding many of her attributes from his view, though even her face brought tenderness to lighten his mood. A lock of her long brown tress had fallen onto her closed eyelid, and he fought the temptation to reach down and brush it away, fearing that he would end up doing more than just that.

Pushing back the dark urge that whispered for him to do unspeakable things to her, Kenji tentatively drew back the sheets, and slipped into bed beside his schoolmate. Squeezing his eyes shut, he focused all his energy and attention to falling asleep and thankfully, his earlier fatigue came back now to claim him to the unconscious world. A short distance away from his lied-down body, Uriko's eyelids creaked open halfway, and she turned her head over to peer at the ninja before sliding her arms out from underneath the covers. Her timid irises stared at her open palms, which were glistened with the damp moisture of water, and the traces of another unidentifiable thick liquid.

Crimson blush creeping upon her cheeks, she reached across to the nightstand next to her to retrieve a tissue, so that she could wipe off the white, sticky substance clinging to her slender fingers.


	21. Kiss

****

Kiss

_Seducer… minx… tease… temptress…_

The figure slumped further into the comfortable blue plush chair in response to the whispered taunts, and raised hazy brown eyes up to glance at the clock; though it read to be fifteen minutes to twelve, she still did not feel tired enough to fall asleep. The folds of her soft, cotton robe were drooping a bit, revealing a small portion of her throat and the upper curves of her bare cleavage, as the only garments she wore beneath the white article of clothing were underpants. Her hand was wrapped around the smooth, hard covering of a slender green bottle, and clutched in her other grasp was a cup that possessed slightly bubbling, colorless liquid inside. Periodically, she raised the rim to her lips, and drank the contents, blinking as another wave of dreamy sensation wracked her body, yet it merely kept her awake all the more.

_What a stupid idea, to go into the bathroom and invade Kenji's privacy like that…_ her mind scolded, but she was in too much of a dreamy state to really acknowledge the meaning behind the senseless babbling. _And to touch him the way you did, so disrespectful! You are pathetic, can't even fall asleep by yourself, and have to order and drink wine to try and do so on his tab, too; isn't it your conscience that is giving you insomnia? What if he finds out in fact, he **wasn't** fantasizing, and in reality, it was actually you that caressed him until it became too much, and he went off?_

"He won't find out…" the Kenpo student mumbled groggily, pouring more grape wine into her glass and consuming it. "And I'll pay for the wine when he gets the bill…"

_Admit that you want him…_

She shook her head feebly. "I don't…"

__

Admit it!

"No… We… we're just friends…"

_You're lying._

"Shut up…" Uriko grumbled irritably, removing her hand from the bottle and waving it in the air, as if to slap away a fly, while sipping some more of the wine to try and lose her hold on reality.

_You're going to get drunk._

"No I'm not…" she proclaimed, shrugging carelessly, "this'll just make me sleepy… and maybe a little tipsy… but that's all… I won't get drunk…"

_Keep on denying it._ The argumentative voice sniggered devilishly, as if amused by her refusing to face the truth._ But better be careful and make sure that you won't get drunk the way Kenji did last weekend, and then do to him what he did you…_

Almost immediately, the hard resolve in her pupils softened, and she whined, "It wasn't his fault… he… he didn't know what he was doing…"

A wicked, knowing laugh. _Of course he knew what he was doing: you!_

_I'm going crazy._ The feline wrinkled her nose and reached toward the table for the remote, clicking on the television to find a show that would distract her from actually listening to the nagging speaker. But when the screen came into focus, and she saw its contents, her eyes widened as she became fully aware, and she quickly changed the channel. The lingering effects had her chest constricting breathlessly, and her cheeks flushed red in embarrassment; her eyes glanced up briefly, and she sighed in relief at the young teenagers dancing around in a music video. At least it was not the previous viewing, which made her head spin and her nerves tingling with unfulfilled desire as she shot a look at the bed that her friend lied upon, slumbering serenely.

_Oh my God, porn on TV._ She grimaced in disgust._ Is this some kind of sign, or what? Why has everybody been hinting that Kenji and I will sleep together??_ Her attention averted to the box of condoms, sitting on the nightstand where she had moved them to before slipping into the bathroom to pleasure her companion. "Those poor things are going to waste… Hah…"

__

Don't be so sure of that… The night is far from over…

"Hush up…" she griped, and brought her focus back to the television, intently listening to the lyrics of the current song that was playing.

__

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no…"

Hmm, this sounds pretty nice… The auburn-haired girl smiled gently, and closed her eyes peacefully, loosening her hold on the cup that was still half-filled with wine.

__

"When you feel it in your body, you found somebody who makes you change your ways - like hanging with your crew… Said you act like you're ready, but you don't really know… And everything in your past - you wanna let it go…"

"Keep going…" she breathed, sighing softly.

_"I've been there, done it, fucked around… After all that - this is what I found: nobody wants to be alone… If you're touched by the words in this song, then baby…_

"You got it, you got it bad - when you're on the phone, hang up and you call right back… You got it; you got it bad - if you miss a day without your friend, your whole life's off track… You know you got it bad, when you're stuck in the house; you don't wanna have fun, it's all you think about… You got it bad when you're out with someone, but you keep on thinkin' bout somebody else… You got it bad…"

"Grrrrr…!" The sixteen-year-old growled as her eyelids snapped up and she shot the TV a dirty glare, trying to ignore the closeness of the meaning behind the song's lyrics as she tipped her head back and drank more wine.

_"When you say that you love 'em, and you really know - everything that used to matter, don't matter no more… Like my money, all my cars (you can have it all back)… Flowers, cards and candy (I do it just cause I'm…), said I'm fortunate to have you girl, I want you to know - I really adore you! All my people who know what's going on, look at your mate, help me sing my song - tell her I'm your man, you're my girl… I'm gonna tell it to the whole wide world…! Ladies, say 'I'm your girl, you're my man'… Promise to love you the best I can…"_

"Stop it already…" she mumbled agitatedly, all of a suddenly moving to slap her palms on her knees for emphasis on how her patience was wearing thin.

Apparently, her prayers were not about to be answered just yet. _"See I've been there, done it, fucked around… After all that - this is what I found: nobody wants to be alone… If you're touched by the words in this song, then baby…_

"You got it, you got it bad - when you're on the phone, hang up and you call right back… You got it; you got it bad - if you miss a day without your friend, your whole life's off track… You know you got it bad, when you're stuck in the house; you don't wanna have fun, it's all you think about… You got it bad when you're out with someone, but you keep on thinkin' bout somebody else… You got it bad…"

She groaned in annoyance, and groped at the remote to click the "off" button, but the device slipped out of her hand and fell to the carpet floor; she cursed under her breath.

__

"You got it, you got it bad - when you're on the phone, hang up and you call right back… You got it; you got it bad - if you miss a day without your friend, your whole life's off track… You know you got it bad, when you're stuck in the house; you don't wanna have fun, it's all you think about… You got it bad when you're out with someone, but you keep on thinkin' bout somebody else… You got it bad…"

As the soft melody faded, her fingers closed around the rectangular object, but in doing so, she accidentally pushed the button to make the volume louder, just in time for the next music video to start playing. A female voice drifted into the room, and Uriko jolted in surprise at the loudness of the singer, losing her grip on the remote and dropping it again. _Damn it!_

"Oh when you walk by every night - talking sweet and looking fine, I get kind of hectic inside… Oh baby, I'm so into you… Darling if you only knew! All the things that flow through my mind, but it's just a: sweet, sweet fantasy baby… When I close my eyes, you come and take me, on and on and on… It's so deep in my daydreams, but it's just a sweet, sweet fantasy baby…"

Shoot, I don't want Kenji to wake up… she thought, her heart beating frantically as her hands felt around the floor for what she was seeking.

*****

__

Mmmm…

While the feline zoanthrope had been sipping wine to try and get her to sleep, and also watching television as an added distraction, Kenji was enjoying a most pleasant dream. It somewhat resembled his so-called fantasy earlier in the Jacuzzi, but this time, everything felt more real, as he could _almost_ feel the delicate curves yielding under his touch. Soft lips that were pressed against his parted slowly, and he eagerly slipped into the wet warm that welcomed his presence; the pink muscle corresponding to its owner came and played with his tongue. Thin strands of silky hair curled around his cheek, teasing and tickling him, and he ground out a low, growling chuckle, then kissed his lover more intently.

His palm found and cupped her cheek, and he shifted to stroke her with his knuckles, removing his mouth from hers to explore lower, meeting the trembling skin of her throat. He felt the girl shiver and the ninja smiled enticingly, absorbing her moan of pleasure when he traveled along the side of her face, moving to blow his heated breath into her ear, then nibbled on the smooth lobe. Faintly, Kenji acknowledged his lips moving to murmur something to her, but he paid little attention to finding out what it was that he was saying. All he wanted to focus on were his fingers unfastening, what he presumed to be the buttons of her shirt, and the sound of her mewling cries alerting his hearing senses.

Somehow, while his tongue had a slick, wet presence on its surface, his mouth was suddenly surrounding a hardened nub, and he suckled forcefully before gently biting it. Another moan that emitted from her drifted into the air, and the mole zoanthrope fought back the urge to further ravish and tease the soft mounds with his hands. Instead, his arm journeyed down and he grasped a hold of her wrist, moving them down together and placing her against the evidence of his arousal, hearing her gasp in response. But her shocked reaction apparently did not stop her from exploring him and the feeling of her nails flexing over his sensitive region made him groan in approval.

Time seemed to jump forward as he found himself standing up just then, and his body tightly pressed against feminine curves that seemed to fit into his form comfortably, two pieces of a puzzle connecting together. A light breeze that blew, surrounding his figure, made him realize that he was almost completely nude, and his hands, splayed upon smooth skin, squeezed the softness. Soon, his interest moved around to the front of her body, where he pushed aside the elastic waistband of her undergarments and slipped inside. Thin, curly hair brushed across his palm, but Kenji carelessly dismissed them, and eagerly sought out the warmth that the tips of his fingers were so achingly close to.

__

Yes… he breathed when he parted the delicate lips of her private area, and slid a digit into her moist wetness, stroking a nub that seemed to twitch sensitively as he insistently touched it. He added another finger to increase the tension of his rhythm, and pleading noises sounded in his ear; they were coming from his female companion. Sliding up and down, he caressed her inner walls, feeling a twinge in his groin that signaled how ready he was to rip away the last of her clothing, and finish the consummation. She kept begging him for something that she did not even know what it was herself, but he certainly knew - oh yes, he knew exactly what she wanted him to do to her.

The dark-haired ninja felt the wetness of her essence coat his fingers when he brought her to peak, and could barely suppress the urge to accompany her and shudder with desire. Now that she knew how good it would feel, there was only one thing left for them, one last thing to complete their little acts of bliss and fierce passion. Deciding to give her a preview of what was soon to come, he leaned his erection into her stomach, smirking at the gasp that stole from her lips at his brazen action. His face leaned toward her ear, and he felt himself whisper to her erotically, _"What would be better than touching you… is savoring your sweet taste instead."_

All of a sudden, while Kenji was anxiously waiting to move on, techno music noised loudly, startling his hearing senses, and the melody was coupled with garbled words that slowly grew clearer. It disrupted and halted his dream with a shatter, forcefully snapping his mind to awareness, and he returned back to the conscious world to hear, _"…It's just a: sweet, sweet fantasy baby… When I close my eyes, you come and take me, on and on and on… It's so deep in my daydreams, but it's just a sweet, sweet fantasy baby…"_

"Mmmph…" On the bed, the sixteen-year-old made a noise and began to shift his position; his eyes slowly blinked open as he yawned, the high volume making it impossible for him to continue slumbering. "Uhhh…" he groaned, slowly ascending to his rear on a sitting position, and instinctively his hands reached for his eyes to rub the sleepiness out of them.

"Damn it…" The male student acknowledge a quiet voice hiss in impatience as the volume of the music was lowered just then, and he could still hear the singing, but it definitely was not as loud as before.

"Uriko…?" he inquired, finally casting away the blur from his vision and being able to focus his eyes on her form, which was currently on her knees, sprawled upon the floor in front of the television.

"Ahh!" She exclaimed, pivoting to face him, a guilty flush on her cheeks. "Oh, Kenji, y-you're awake… I'm sorry about the noise…"

"It's all right," came his mumbled reply as the ninja scratched the back of his head in puzzlement, and when he glanced down at his lap, he was surprised to see a little tip poking up. _Oh, shit…_ Hastily, he dropped his hands to cover up his arousal and gazed at his friend with an embarrassed, telltale expression, as he was ashamed that he had fantasized about her again. _Someone please help me before I lose control and… and…_ he could not bear to finish the thought.

"Wh-what are you doing up so late…?" Kenji finally asked her, breaking the silence. "Unless it's already morning…?"

"No, no, it's still nighttime," she informed him, shaking her head. "I just… can't sleep. Yeah. I think I'm suffering from insomnia."

"I'm sorry," he sympathized, raising a brow and wondering why she still continued to sit on the floor. "Isn't it uncomfortable sitting down there?" _Yes… Why don't you invite her to sit next to you…?_ An impish voice inside whispered to him suggestively.

"Oh? Ah, yeah, I forgot about that, heh!" Uriko giggled and slapped her own forehead, then stood up and leisurely walked over to the opposite side of the bed from him, and bounced onto the mattress, distracting him from noticing the wine bottle on the table. "See what being sleep deprived does to you? I-I probably look like a mess too, hehehe…"

"You are as beautiful as always," he answered earnestly, gazing at her with a soft look in his eyes, unable to stop the endearment tone being presented in his voice. "At least, you will always be to me." After experiencing his erotic dream just minutes before, being so close to her made him feel intoxicated, and he found himself focusing on her lips from her sideways-turned profile, wondering how she would react if he leaned over and kissed her, in the platonic way, of course… When she turned her face in his direction, and he caught sight of her current expression, a large lump lodged itself in his throat.

Her eyelids slid down halfway in a luminous, sleepy look that the ninja thought make her seem innocently seductive, and the slow pout that formed over her expression only added to the effect. Dainty, soft pink lips pursed a bit and a shy glint lingered in her chocolate brown eyes, strangely enticing his heart into a quickened pounding rhythm. He recognized that look from when the two friends would train together, and when she won sometimes, the Kenpo student would back flip as her victory pose. On rare occasions, she tripped up in her landing and fell on her face, where she'd then stumble into a standing position, while her hand delicately held her nose, partially covering that same adorable pout she was presently displaying.

"Uriko…" he murmured quietly, an almost pleading tone in his voice, "Don't… don't look at me like that…"

She immediately turned solemn and questioning. "Look at you like what…? I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"I'm the one who should be saying sorry." Kenji curtly cut her off, tight-lipped as a shrill sigh squeezed out from the corner of his mouth. "Your… I…" _To hell with this censoring and puzzling remarks, you live only once, right?_ "…That pout is so alluring that it makes me want to kiss you."

"You… you do?" she blinked in surprise, and then what she said next surprised the both of them; "Well… Maybe I want you to kiss me too."

His head snapped up to attention. "No, you don't."

She quirked a brow at him. "Who are you to tell me what I want or don't want, Kenji? How would you know, you're not me."

"Because…" his dark, cloudy eyes locked onto hers, staring intensely, betraying his conflicting emotions inside. "You make me lose control."

"W-well, I…" Uriko stammered nervously, started to scoot back and her friend followed, moving toward her, his persistence as well as the unrestrained look on his face making her feel intimidated. "Kenji… stop… you're starting to scare me…"

"Don't run now…" the ninja drawled silkily, bending toward her and closing the distance between them in a quick swoop, clamping his hand firmly onto her shoulder. He was tired of trying to keep a leash on his insistent, fiery hormones and lustful emotions, and allowed the naked feelings to reflect in his hazy shadowed pupils. "Darling Riko. Do you really want to experience the forbidden heights of pleasure, have it shared by a mere acquaintance in which you only have a supposed platonic relationship with, such as myself? Am I truly worthy?"

There was very little space separating the two, and the teenage girl released short, mewed gasps in response to his closeness, the flames of his heated breath licking at her perspired skin. "I… I…" it felt difficult to sort through her muddled mind and come up with a coherent response.

"So, do you still want me to kiss you now, knowing what you do to me, shatter my control, make me feel weak…?" he whispered, his nose just barely brushing against her own. "Should I make you feel the same way I do, Uriko, show you how powerless your consciousness is when faced up against your overwhelming desire?"

The feline felt her back pressed along the smooth hardness of the bed's headboard behind her, and she raised timid brown eyes at him, searching his shrouded pupils, seeking an answer behind his spellbinding words. For what seemed like an eternity, the two gazed at each other, silent and unmoving, breathing so quietly as to not disrupt the trance that had taken over them both. Breaking the stillness, Kenji shifted, diminishing what little distance that was separating him from his female companion, and gently met her lips with his. He kissed her with a fierce tenderness that threatened to consume his emotions, yet he kept a tight rein on them, keeping what little control he had over himself.

_Uriko…_ he breathed inwardly, inhaling her sweet scent, her essence teasing and tempting him, and his arms, one on her shoulder and the other hanging by his side, were quivering with anxiety. _I pray… I pray that I will have enough willpower to stop myself if you don't want to go any further than this…_


	22. Caress

****

Caress

The pale, white crescent moon shone high in the sky outside, emitting light that assisted the decorating small, twinkling stars scattered over the broad, night-darkened area. The nocturnal creatures that roamed around raised their noses into the air and sniffed the essence of the earth, paying no heed to the dimly lit room that housed two embracing youths inside. In the room, shadowy silhouette of their forms merged into one as their bodies instinctively moved toward each other, both seeking warmth and comfort. Trembling hands arose to delicately cup the rough, lean surface of twin cheeks, and the corresponding owner emitted a soft sigh into her partner's mouth.

His arms slid up in immediate response and his hands covered over hers, pressing them more intently against his skin, as his lips continued to gently caress her. He was kissing the auburn-haired girl as if it were granting his last wish, the one last thing he wanted to do before dying, just to hold her and have the feel of her mouth yielding underneath his. In his mind, he whispered her name multiple times, but dared not to say it aloud, for fearing that she would be able to detect the hint of barely contained passion in his voice. At the moment, all he could content himself with were the little cries she would release periodically, and the sudden warmness that filled his heart, making his pulse accelerate.

Dizzy with desire, the ninja had to keep reminding himself to maintain control of his actions, and resisted the urge to remove his hands from hers so that he could explore the curves of her body. It was far too tempting to have her this close to him, and not be allowed to do anything else besides kiss her; he ached to taste more of her sweetness, knowing that it lied beyond the softness of her lips. His fingers quivered when he prevented them from journeying down along her face, uncertain of what reaction would be invoked within him if he dared move a single bit. Impatient with his restraint and starving for her touch, his arousal called to his attention, especially when he felt the cotton material of his white robe surrounding the sensitive organ.

Finally, in their dazed states, it was she that broke off the insistent kiss and filled the silence by speaking first, although it sounded more like a breathless gasp; "Kenji…"

Just hearing the silent plea in her tone made him shudder in effort of continuing to hold his emotions back, and he could not suppress the need in his voice as he whispered back, "Yes, Uriko…?"

"I…" She gazed into his eyes, and he could see her bottomless brown pools filled with compassion, adoration, and perhaps a hint of yearning for him, the same feeling he had for her. "I still want you to kiss me."

He chuckled lowly, and then unconsciously turned that into a growl when he murmured, "No, you don't, dear kitten. This is just the beginning of what I want to… what I want to do to you…"

"So then, do it." Uriko stated simply, taking her hands off of his cheeks so that she could cross her arms over her chest and challenge him wordlessly.

"Hm. Well, if you insist…" came his partially threatening-sounding reply.

Without waiting for her to respond to that, the male student leaned forward and captured her lips, while at the same time removing her arms from her bosom to snatch a hold of her wrists. Holding them hostage against his lean, pectoral muscles, Kenji almost smirked at her easily succumbing to his fiery kiss, her mouth opening to allow him entry. Tentatively, he slid his tongue into her moistness, and began a slow exploration of her insides, wrestling for dominance when he came into contact with her soft pink muscle. No victory came of the outcome, but the two danced together in a tantalizing waltz that left them both breathless and even more intoxicated with need.

__

This is just the beginning… his mind repeated, in silent mockery of his earlier stated phrase. Ignoring the unimportant voice, the dark-haired male briefly squeezed her hands before releasing them, only to move his fingers to the area next to her throat, and he gripped a steady hold of her shoulders. In silent response, she encircled his neck with her arms, splaying her palms against the lower back of his head, pressing herself against him securely. By reflex, Kenji felt his fists curl up into a ball, causing a bit of the girl's cotton robe to be encased in his palm, and he inwardly cursed at his subconscious attempt of trying to expose more of her naked skin. His hazy brown eyes were burning with need, the flames of desire licking at the sides of his eyes, almost seemingly leaping out to snatch his companion.

__

No… I…I can't, not without her permission…! The ninja restrained his head from shaking in denial, not wanting to alarm his friend and make her think that anything was wrong. But the way that he tensed his muscles made her freeze, and pull back away from him slightly, her chocolate-colored irises peering at him in concern, with a sliver of curiosity. When she turned to glance at her shoulders, one and then the other, Uriko got an idea of what he was worrying about, and a soft smile graced her lips. Trying to prevent her body from trembling in apprehension, she grasped his wrists gently, and slid them underneath the collar of her white attire, feeling a tingle jolt through her nerves at the feel of her bare flesh touching his own.

It seemed as though he had the same reaction, especially since he suddenly shivered at that moment, but began to leisurely move his hand around, testing the smoothness of her skin. Her silky texture made his fingers push down a bit insistently, craving to unveil and explore more of her, yet he merely traced light circles, edging toward her throat. Brushing a spot where he wanted to kiss, Kenji bent his head down and briefly grazed her neck with his teeth, lightly biting, with the thudding vibration of her pulse lingering on his lips. His eyes narrowed as a dark part of his mind urged him to become bolder, and he unwittingly complied, drawing a line of kisses along her quivering flesh, all the way up to her chin.

The feline mewed in approval and curled her arms around the back of his head again, holding him closer to her throat, where he willingly parted his lips to lightly lick her. Firmly placing his mouth on her neck, his teeth poised as if to bite the girl, he sucked her strongly, groaning quietly as he tasted her soft flavor and she seemed to agree with her own tiny cries. Retracting from the area moments later, the ninja gazed at the small red mark that now was etched into her skin, and a wicked smile formed at the sudden possessiveness he felt. It was almost like he had branded her as his own, and strangely, he felt no reluctance at the thought of claiming her for himself, although there was slight guilt pricking at his conscience.

__

Mine… A sniggering voice whispered in his head that sounded much like his own. _My Uriko. Not Cronos', mine, my kitten, no one else's._

To emphasis his point, Kenji suddenly felt the need to show a little more aggression as he slipped his hands underneath the robe that his companion was wearing, around her throat, and pushed the open folds off of her shoulders, where it slid down to her elbows. He heard her gasp softly as he ran his trembling hands along the curve of her neck, and gently guided them lower, massaging her arms and occasionally using his fingertips to lightly tickle her skin. She giggled in delight, shifting her position so that she could scratch the back of his neck, and cooed in his ear when he pushed aside the last portion of cotton sleeves that clothed her lower arms and wrists.

Just as the male student was going to travel toward the area above her bosom, Uriko suddenly moved back, laughing sweetly, giving him a sly wink at his eagerness. Shadows danced across his face, partially shading his expression, so she could not be sure of what emotions were spiraling within him, but there was no hiding the longing in his hazy pupils. She raised a finger to her lips, silencing any protest he would voice, and felt his eyes follow in the direction of her hands, which she placed onto the knot loosely securing her robe. Unknown to the auburn-haired girl, his eyes widened when she untied the bind, and started to shrug the attire off of her shoulders.

"Wait." He spoke up just before the cloak slid down her arms.

"What's wrong?" She inquired, looking at him curiously, but granted his request and kept a hold on her robe to prevent it from completely falling away from her upper body.

"Uriko… are you sure you want to do this? With me…?" His eyes searched hers in question, revealing his insecurity and slight fear.

"You're afraid…" she realized after reading the emotions lingering in his dark-colored irises. "But… why?"

"If…if you want to stop later on," he began, his voice lowering with each passing second, "I-I worry that I won't be able to restrain myself after we pass a certain point…"

A quiet giggle escaped from her lips as the girl gazed at him compassionately. "Oh, is that all? Kenji, don't worry, really. I'm a little nervous too, but that's because I…I want this to happen. If I didn't… then don't you think I would have stopped you a long time ago…?" _And what about last weekend, hmm?_ An inner snigger brought a frown to mar her brows.

"Our own special night…?" Kenji asked huskily, allowing his gaze to quickly dart down and peer at the curves that formed her cleavage, and the rest of her bosom that was just a bit away from being exposed.

"Yes…" she whispered back in reply, tilting her head back when his hands gripped the open folds of her robe in his fists, and hesitated before pushing them aside. He gently tugged the cotton white sleeves along her lower arm and wrists, letting her shift so that she could shed the article of clothing completely, which drifted freely, descending to the mattress, then continuing down to the floor. Now his eyes could explore the sight of her upper body of their own will, but yet he futilely tried to turn his face to the side and respect her privacy. Deciding to coax him into looking at her, the feline placed a hand on his cheek in gentle persuasion and he eventually pivoted back to glance at her again.

Left clad in nothing but a pair of underwear with pale gray flowers designing the article of clothing, the young feline ducked her head down to hide the rosy pink blush creeping up over her cheeks. She was unsure of what reaction invoked in him from her newly bared skin, and felt too shy and timid to look him in the eye to see his reaction. But when the quiet moments dragged on, she grew acutely aware of his rhythmic breathing growing slightly strained, as if he were direly trying to keep his emotions in check, his mood nonchalant. Blushing furiously, Uriko allowed herself to barely glance up and shyly sneak a look at her friend, surprise prickling the hair on her skin when she realized that he was staring at her, crimson flames of unspoken passion burning in his dark eyes.

_Take her._ _Take her now. _Came the sudden command that echoed in his mind, and he shook his head frantically, refusing to give into the primal urges threatening to tweak with his actions. Even with his conscientiousness, he wanted to steal back his heart, which lay dormant in her secure chambers, her very essence toying with his soul, threatening his hold on his very stability and control. The ninja groaned at the thought, and unconsciously, his hand lifted of its own accord and reached for his female companion, settling itself in the valley between her breasts. She inhaled sharply at the contact, and he retracted his arm, inwardly scolding himself for moving to touch her without even getting her consent first.

Just as he glanced at her face and noticed she was about to open her mouth to presumably assure him of his actions, he blurted out all of a sudden, "You're beautiful."

The Kenpo student blushed pleasantly, and previous words of protest died at her lips when he brought his hands to her sides, and ran his fingers along her smooth curves, his touch so light and delicate that it made a pang of tenderness tug at her heart. She reveled in his tentative displays, and how his shyness invoked a gentle air around him, chasing away the dark shadows of his past, as if this sweet, sensitive aura had always lingered within her friend. It seemed impossible for the girl to comprehend and absorb the reality that her friend was once a ruthless assassin, and had the blood of his victims drowning his pores, possessed the dark, sinister look of a merciless killer. His actions now, the way he touched her so slowly and delicately in deliberate consideration of her feelings, completely booted out the doubts of his person from the suspicious mind of her conscience.

Periodically, she caught his eyes shooting quick glances at her chest, then immediately averting elsewhere; she grinned at his shyness, and began to lean back, lowering all the way until she was lying on the bed. Enchanted by the way she beckoned him with a slightly crooked finger, and not to mention the coy glint sparkling in her chocolate brown irises, he was helpless to do anything but follow her invitation. Still clothed in his own bathrobe, Kenji descended over her slender figure, hearing her mew softly when the cotton material tickled her sensitive skin as their bodies pressed together. Smirking a bit, he purposely rubbed himself against her, while bringing his head toward hers and sealing her mouth with his lips, absorbing a breathy cry that had just been about to escape.

_Torture… oh, sweet torture…_ she thought dazedly, sliding her hand over to his biceps as he stopped moving after a couple of eternal moments, and lifted his face away from hers, allowing her to sigh dreamily. She could see the waves of his dark hair moving down past her chin and the brief feel of his lips on her neck, kissing his way along her throat, traveling all the more lower. Her breath catching, Uriko waited to find out where he was going, and when his bangs brushed across the upper curve of her breasts, she closed her eyes in surrender. Heat fanned her skin, making her heart pound frantically in anxiety, but she was surprised that he remained still, unmoving at all, save for his inhaling and exhaling that flowed more warmth on her flesh.

Finally, he moved, and pressed a gentle kiss directly on her nipple, his lips lightly brushing against her smooth, lilac-scented skin, then allowed just the tip of his tongue to protrude out and barely lick her. With a breathless mew, the sixteen-year-old female arched her back, feeling the long, luscious waves of her hair spill over her shoulders, and the grip she had on his arm squeezed him in silent encouragement. Releasing a shuddering sigh of nervousness, the mole zoanthrope shifted his body to rest on his knees, and raised his head up from her a little ways before slowly placing both of his hands on her breasts, with her pink-tipped peaks stabbing the center of his palms. His fingers kneaded her soft mounds, occasionally flicking his thumbs over her hardened aureoles, arousing tension that began to build up inside him, fueled by her cries that were meek by her own restraint.

Kenji groaned when she started to writhe upon the bed restlessly, her upper thighs unintentionally rubbing against his stiffened length at occasional times, and even though he was shielded by the robe, the reaction was not any different as if it were bare skin contact. He shushed her soothingly, and gripped a strong hold of her arms with both of his hands, holding them and pining her down to the mattress as he bent his head to her chest and drew a quivering breast into his mouth. Flicking at the erect nipple with his wet tongue, he felt the girl tremble violently, as if she was struggling to hold onto her self-control. The warmth between the apex of her thighs was enticing his shaft, making him ache and crave to sheathe himself inside of her, yet still he held back, just barely.

The feline attempted to slip her forearms out of his imprisonment, and was surprised at how intently he kept his grasp, but that thought quickly flew out of her mind when he changed to holding her down with his elbows, and began to tease her breasts with both lips and hands. Wailing loudly into the otherwise quiet night, her body twisted instinctively, and her back raised up to press herself closer to the pleasure he was silently promising with his caresses. Moans emitted from deep within her throat when Kenji removed himself from the soft twin mounds of her bosom, and continued traveling down her smooth skin, pausing to nudge her bellybutton with the tip of his nose. Her struggling finally paid off, as his grip loosened, and she was able to free her arms after some time, her hands immediately reaching for his chest to reflect what he had done to her.

Her eyes flying open, she grasped his shoulders, and pulled his form up, splaying her fingers on the area of his lean, hard muscles, scouring to seek and find his flat male nipples and she eagerly rubbed them between the thumb and forefinger of each hand. Pleased with his hiss of approval, Uriko let a seductive smile curl her lips and lightly trickled her fingertips past his flat abdomen, and play with the area around his waist as well. Just as she was nearing the sensitive part of her friend that made him a man, he instantly snatched both of her wrists in a vice-like grip and brought them up to the level of his throat and shoulders. He shook his head silently, indicating how close he was to being pushed over the edge, and undoubtedly would have been if she had touched him.

Her acute nerves tingled with apprehension when the mole zoanthrope lowered his position and pressed his lips below her bellybutton, resuming his journey down her body. He did not stop until he reached the warmth of her private entrance, and she gasped when his fingers dug underneath the strap of her undergarments. With an apologetic whisper, he stripped her of her remaining article of clothing, and let it drop to the floor next to where her robe lay, and nuzzled her spidery dark curls with his nose, brushing them away from what he was striving toward. She shivered in delight and anticipation of what he was going to do to her, wondering if he would have enough courage and be bold enough to actually carry it through. Her eyes squeezed shut tightly once again, and her hearing senses picked up the sound of his harsh breathing, seeming as if he was trying to slow down the tempo.

Leaning in closely, he took a moment to inhale her musky womanly scent, then parted his lips to pleasure her; his hot tongue slid past her delicate folds and surrounded a small nub. Unsure of what that was, he brushed against it with the tip of his lingua, trying to see if he would evoke any reaction from her the auburn-haired girl, in which she lurched up in reflex. Taking her motion as an encouragement indicating for him to continue, he slowed his strokes, teasing her sensitive clitoris, laving it over and over, inwardly shuddering with fervor; he liked her taste. While she echoed multiple soft cries of rapture at the delicious, unfamiliar sensations, he could feel her warm inner walls dampen, and the ninja was barely able to suppress a throaty groan himself. 

His embraces had awakened every nerve in her form, stimulating new feelings and instinctive reflexives she'd not yet ensued before - their previous encounter a week prior had been a bit too rushed for her to have accountable responses. Ticklish tingles trickled through her veins, coupled with the passionate fervor that warmed her blood and made the young feline feel as if she were melting into the soft mattress the two lied upon. Struck with this new passion, she arched her back, trying to get closer to the delicious feeling, her hands groping through empty air to snag a hold of him, and clutch his lean, muscular forearms for level, as she felt like she was floating.

Ascending into the dreamy white clouds in her subconscious mind, she was being bathed in royal golden sunlight as Kenji encircled her feminine pearl and began to lusciously tease her to a torturous state of plea. She responded to the slick, heated contact with breathy, feverish mews that elicited from deep within her throat, fueling his desire and driving him to stop the light flicking and teasing from his tongue. A carnal impulse wracked his consciousness as he began to hungrily suckle her nub, his nostril senses drawing in the musky, erotic scent of her arousal. Emitting more soft, feline mewling cries, the auburn-haired girl quickly covered her mouth with her hands when a fiery explosion erupted within her body as he brought her to a blistering hot climax, causing her to elicit a muffled, yet still very audible wail.

Tightly shutting her eyes as she slowly descended back into awareness, Uriko blinked away the faint spots dancing before her view while trying to rid of the dizziness swimming in her head. When she had reached her peak, the ninja quickly retracted his head from the apex of her thighs; with her sweet flavor still lingering on his tongue, he gazed at his friend intensely, through heavy-lidded eyes. Pale blue moonlight from the night outside slid into the shadowy room, gleaming over the girl's body, allowing her companion to see her current state. Lying on the bed with her fists clenching vise-like handfuls of the white sheet, she was exhaling heavy breaths, her chest rising and falling in rhythmic motion.

"Uriko…" he whispered, his voice husky with emotion, wanting to say more but strangely felt a lump form in his throat that prevented him from continuing. Finally, he managed to squeeze out, "I…I'm going to…"

She nodded enthusiastically, knowing what he was stammering in trying to ask her: if she were ready to receive him, proceed onward with finishing their loving act. Hearing him release a shuddering sigh, Uriko acknowledge the frantic sounds of material being tugged along arms, and she lifted her head a bit to glance at him to see what her friend was doing. She giggled when she sighted him practically tearing the white bathrobe off from his body, flinging the cotton attire to the floor, where it joined hers that had landed there earlier. She immediately became sober when he turned his head to face her, and relaxed the muscles of his knees so that he could leisurely begin to descend his body and cover over hers. 

The pale shade of orange specks lingering within the midst of his light brown irises shifted into a deep red, the flame of passion igniting and almost seeming to lurch out and delve into her own eyes to inhibit her being. He stared at her endlessly, his chest barely moving, only to breathe, the slight moisture of his damp hands tainting her cheeks, where he was gently cupping her face. Parting his lips a little, the dark-haired ninja descended toward his friend; her wide, anticipating eyes watched the shadowy outline of his head leaning down near her neck. Kenji securely covered her body with his, then a shiver ran through the girl's form when she acknowledged a stiff, throbbing presence slowly being to slide into her femininity.

Her mouth pursed in slight unease as her delicate virgin muscles stretched to accommodate his size, and he was careful to inch into her leisurely, although the climaxes he brought her to previously provided plenty of lubrication for the union. Closing his eyes and grinding out a low hiss, the mole zoanthrope tucked his face next to her throat and was aware of the tremor shaking her form that vibrated against his cheek when he fully penetrated her. A small gasp emitted from the female teenager at their new intimate position, and by instinct, her hands reached out to grab a hold of his forearms, absorbing his steadfast support. Smiling tenderly at her, he gently tucked a few strands of her long brown hair behind her ear, and aligned his body along hers, with nothing separating their direct skin contact.

The feline soon adjusted to the feel of his length sheathed inside her, and pressed her legs together, squeezing him with her inner walls, reveling in the way his eyes widened and his posture wavered briefly. Shooting her a playful dirty look, Kenji allowed a snarl to peel back his lips, and he growled lowly, "If you do that again, sweet kitten, I'm afraid I'll have to punish you…"

Ignoring his threat, she repeated her previous action, making his knees weaken and he almost stumbled, but quickly regained his poise and his hazy pupils darkened as he gazed at her. "I warned you…"

"You won't do anything to me," she countered, a confident grin on her face, but then gasped when in one swift move, he suddenly flipped their positions around, and now she was on top of him and he lied on the bottom, his back against the bed.

"That's what you think."

Without any further words, the cobalt-haired ninja placed his hands on her waist, and began to move her form, sliding her up and down his shaft repeatedly, chuckling when he heard her breathless panting. His hips followed the rhythm, and he pushed himself more deeply into her with each thrust, fueled into a faster pace by her constant moans of pleasures drifting by his ears. Uriko threw her head back, her long auburn tress tumbling over her shoulders at the action, and she cried out when his tempo increased, the tip of his length rubbing against her sensitive clit. Blinded by sensation, she gasped as she was once again edging toward the explosion she had already experienced from him before in the same night, as well as the one past encounter.

"Ken-jiii!! Ahhhh!!" She wailed aloud when her climax hit, screaming his name out again.

"Riko…!!" He exclaimed just as he reached his peak also, flooding his life's essence inside her as he released, a violent shudder wracking his body.

Both of the teenagers panted breathlessly in the aftermath of their ecstasy, waiting for a while to pass before deciding what awaited them next; Kenji initiated movement, sliding his spent member out, raising his female friend up so that she could dislodge herself from him. She slid down to the mattress on her bottom, and grasped fistfuls of her own hair as an instinctive motion, not noticing the small trickle of fluid flowing from her inner thighs to soak the sheets. Following her example, the ninja arose to a sitting position, his intense eyes never leaving her form as he scooted backward to rest against the headboard of the bed. Long, silent minutes dragged on between them, as they were still recovering from the aftermath of the breathtaking, glorious experience that they had just shared together.

"…Wow," Uriko blurted finally, then blushed slightly at her sudden outburst.

"Wow is right," he agreed, staring at her with admiration. "…I enjoyed our experience. A lot more than you may think."

"I did too," she admitted, shying making eye contact with her zoanthrope compatriot. "That was just so… wonderful, Kenji. I mean, it was more than wonderful, really! But, I can't think of a word right now to describe how it felt to me…"

"I can't either," the ninja told her, smiling at her sheepishly. "And for some strange reason, though I did not feel a bit tired during our… shared embraces," her cheeks turned more crimson at the mention, "I suddenly feel as if the sleepless time has now caught up to my consciousness…"

She nodded in agreement, stifling a yawn inside her mouth before voicing, "I finally feel tired now, too…"

"So, lovemaking is an act in which consumes a lot of both parties' energy," he gave her a partial grin. "Most intriguing indeed. Perhaps it can be a new antidote for people who suffer from insomnia…"

"Oh, hush, you!" The auburn-haired teenager squealed, lightly smacking his arm in a scolding manner. "Hrmp, if you think everytime I have insomnia that I'm gonna just-"

"Shh, shh," Kenji chided her gently, raising a finger to her lips. "I was only joking. Please don't be offended by my failed attempt at humor."

She moved back away from his restraint. "No, not that it wasn't funny, it was just so perverted too…" she could not hold back the yawn that escaped from her mouth this time, and she glanced at him apologetically.

"We can continue this discussion come morning," he assured her, smiling so that she knew he understood. "You need to get some rest now, especially since you were so sleep-deprived before…"

"Thanks…" she breathed, stretching her arms over her head, then it seemed like she finally realized she was still naked, and reached for the bed sheet to cover her upper body, blushing furiously.

"Lay down, Uriko; I'll take care of the lights," the sixteen-year-old male persuaded her as he stepped away from the berth, and bent down to retrieve one of the fallen robes to clothe his body.

Threading his arms through the sleeves, he slipped the attire over his shoulders, and securely tied a knot around his waist, before proceeding toward the switch on the wall near the front door of the room. He noticed the television was still on, and he went up to the set, manually clicking the button to shut it and then headed for the front, near the door. By the time he turned off the lights and headed back to the bed, he saw her tucked within the blankets, and heard her serene, rhythmic breathing, indicating that she had already fallen asleep. Gazing at her adoringly for a moment, Kenji's smile grew wider as he felt his heart flood with warmth and affection for his angelic lover, and soon he shook himself out of his trance-like state.

"Good night, sweet kitten…" he whispered to her slumbering form after he slid underneath the covers and lay next to the Kenpo student, wrapping his arm around her waist and drawing her closely to him. Closing his eyes and relaxing his muscles, he silenced his mind from the turbo-charged thoughts and exclamations firing through his mind, and waited for the warm arms of sleep to claim his consciousness.


	23. Realize

****

Realize

_Mmmm… Uriko… My Riko…_

A dreamy smile formed over the ninja's lips, and he subconsciously snuggled more deeply into the pillow his head was laying upon, his hands clutching fistfuls of the bed sheet in reflex. His mind was faintly replaying the events of the lovemaking he shared with his friend, and he had no qualms of reliving the beautiful ecstasy they made together. All of a sudden, his thoughts shifted to a different scene, and he was back in the incident that passed the previous weekend, standing up with his body pressing his lover against the wall. A frightened whimper noised in his ear, and though he wanted to stop and inquire what was wrong, a strong force made him disregard her silent plea.

_"You're done fighting me, kitten?"_ he realized he was asking all of a sudden, blowing his heated breath on her neck. _"Good… Relax, now… …no more playing."_

The strange possessiveness of his words and tone of voice reminded Kenji of how he felt not long ago, the need to claim his friend as his, and not let anyone else have his way with her aside from himself. His length was secured in an area of need and desire, and the naked heat that emitted from between her thighs enticed his senses, robbing him of reason and left him with pure primal urges. He squeezed and fondled the soft mounds in his hand, flicking his thumb over the hardened nipple, hearing his lover elicit a tortured moan of surrender. With a small protesting mew, she seemed to gather up what little restraint she had left to whisper raggedly to him, _"Kenji, wait a minute…"_

A surge of anger poured into his veins, making his eyes narrow in frustration as the mole zoanthrope prevented her from speaking anymore by securely sealing her lips with his. There was a throaty sound of pleasure in his mouth that had emitted from the girl, but obviously it was not enough to stop her from twisting her head away from him, and refuse, _"N-no. Kenji… stop."_

_Let her go; she wants you to stop._ The teenager thought to himself, and felt a spray of icy water splash over his senses, bringing them to painful awareness when he persisted, and began to explore the curves of her body with slow, amorous strokes. Her palms splayed on his chest just then, and he easily snatched a hold of both her wrists in his grip while sliding his free hand down, heading toward the elastic waistband of his shorts. After wiggling out of them, he carelessly allowed the article of clothing to drift to the floor, indifferent to where it ended up, wanting to only concentrate on the pleasure electrifying his nerves. With the wicked intention of grinding her resistance all the more, Kenji pressed his hard erection in between the warm junction of her thighs, barely brushing against her entrance, easing a rapturous shudder from her.

_She told you to stop…!_ A voice in his mind scolded shrilly, but he ignored it and grabbed her sides, lifting her slender form up and loosely wrapping her legs around his waist. Uriko whimpered meekly, and he silenced her with an insistent kiss, feeling as if he could not hold out much longer and needed to be inside her very soon, fill her with his essence of his existence. The tip of his shaft nudged at her opening, and instantly he felt her squirm in retaliation, turning her head away from him, breaking the liplock. _"Kenji, wait…"_

He growled in detectable anger, and sealed his mouth over hers again, groping her breasts with his hands at the same time, while discreetly inching his eager arousal into the silky, wet, and all-too-ready sheath of her femininity. She fidgeted as if trying to escape his embrace, twisting her lips off from his, and he could detect a sliver of fear in her voice when she commanded, _"Kenji, did you hear me? I-I said stop!"_

Argh, stop!! A presence that Kenji faintly recognized as his own self, yelled at him, and he dazedly paid no attention to the words, and slid his hands around her hips, placing them on the soft cheeks of her rear. _Why aren't you listening to her? Let go of her now!_

_"Kenji! **Stop!**"_ She repeated more assertively.

To his surprise, instead of relenting to her request, he whispered with disdain coating his tone, _"Shut up. Stop fighting. This is inevitable. You know it."_

She noised what sounded like a choked sob. _"Kenji, don't do this… I know that you hate committing terrible things, so don't do this, or you'll… you'll end up hating yourself afterwards… You promised to never hurt me again; do you want to break that? Don't… please don't rape me…"_

_R-Rape…?_ He shuddered at the word as chilly apprehension shot down his spine, but he heard himself respond to her exclamation, _"No. I'm not raping you."_ Even as he said that, the conscious part of his mind argued, _Yes, yes you are! Stop before it's too late! Oh shit, no; please don't tell me that I raped Uriko… that I hurt her in such an atrocious act… No…!!_

_"Then please… stop,"_ she pleaded, a new edge of insistence in her voice,_ "This **is** rape if I say no and you do it anyway!"_

_"Bull, you're just trying to make me feel guilty,"_ the ninja reasoned more to himself than to her. All the while, his conscience hollered for him to halt his actions before he violated her in the worst way possible, and shattered the binds of their friendship with his awful lust. Kenji felt his friend stop resisting him, and presumed that she accepted her fate, her succumbing just made him want to elicit a furious scream from deep within his throat. Frustration poured into his nerves as he direly wished that he could knock himself out, or free her from his embrace, any such way that would prevent him from taking her so brutally. It seems that his prayers were somehow answered, as all of a sudden, a brief flicker of force ignited in the back of his neck, but when he clung onto consciousness, blinding pain exploded in the same area and made empty bleakness fill his vision.

The male student lost his train of thought as well as his grip on reality, and knew he was drifting into an unconscious state, which he figured was better than watching the rest of his cruel crime being committed. Kenji fell deeper into the black hole of his own abyss, multiple negative emotions making groans of pain rip from his body as he hollered his frustration and ire. Furious flames flickered in the light brown pupils of his eyes, and his hands clenched into death-grip fists, practically indenting his fingernail marks into his palms. As he plunged closer to the fiery hell, tacking another notch to his unfortunately long list of sins, he prodded himself to awaken before the thought of taking his life entered his mind just as it did two years ago right after his period of being an assassin…

*****

"Uriko… No… Stop… Noooo!!!"

The emotional exclaims exploded from his lips as the sixteen-year-old jolted up in the bed, waking up from his slumber and leaving behind the trickling wake of his horrifying nightmare. His chest constricted painfully with heavy gasps while a thick sheen of sweat spread over his forehead, and he blinked in bewilderment at the darkness that met his view. For a moment, he was afraid that he was still trapped in the dream, and relaxed slightly when he glanced around and spied unfamiliar aspects of the hotel room with the enhanced night vision of his mole counterpart. The relief did not last long, however; his head whipped to the side and his eyes fell upon the peacefully sleeping form of his female companion lying next to him on the mattress.

_Freaking hell…_ Kenji sighed and gripped fistfuls of his dark blue tress with his hands in an instinctive reflex, closing his eyes for a few quiet minutes, concentrating on easing the tension out of his stiffened muscles. But then the memory of his nightmare came rushing back to him, and his muscles instantly began to grow rigid again with the guilt lancing through him. His lips pursed into a pained pose as blunt accusations shouted in his mind, making him grimace and emit a throaty groan that expressed his angst. With a submissive whimper, he could not help from lightly throwing himself over the body of his best friend, careful in making sure that she would not be awakened from his action.

The ninja felt hot tears prick at the corners of his eyes as he lied on top of her warm form and slowly moved to sling his arm over her waist, gently embracing the brunette to him. He could only press his face into her right shoulder, since she was sleeping on her side, while the wet drops slid down his cheeks and soaked the material of the blanket that she was covered by. Unabashed, he allowed himself to weep quietly, all the while clinging to the soothing comfort of her curves against his body; he felt so icy due to the chilling emotions sweeping his senses. Mewing sleepily, Uriko shifted her position, and her companion quickly retracted in fear that she was going to wake up, watching her as she turned around and settled comfortably into her new poise.

Her long eyelashes fanned across the top of her cheeks, and her dainty pink lips parted slightly to release a little sigh of contentment as she drew her hands near her chest, clutching the bed sheet in her grasp. A soft noise drifted from in between her lips, and the feline snuggled more deeply into the mattress and comforter, rubbing her forehead along the smooth edge of the white pillow that cushioned the back of her neck and above. When it seemed that she was still slumbering and had no knowledge of what was going on around her, Kenji stopped holding his breath and visibly relaxed. Peering at her heart-shaped face, his harsh emotions withered away and were replaced with a warm feeling that inhibited his heart, chasing off the horrible accusations of his committed sin.

He reached toward her and stroked the smooth skin of her cheek with the tips of his fingers, trickling a path along down until he reached the corner of her mouth. Transfixed by the tight feeling forming in his chest and the knot dancing around within his stomach with nervousness, he slowly moved to trace her the delicate curve of her lips, drawing both the upper and lower strips. Leaving the area, he cupped her chin briefly, then relocated over to her ear, and tucked a stray strand of silky auburn tress behind her lobe. There was no way he could understand what emotions were surging through him at the moment as he began to retract his arm, or identify the strange possessive urges prickling at his nerves.

The cobalt-haired teenager released a shaky sigh and sat back, forcing himself to scoot away from her, fearing that something uncontrollable would soon take reign of his controls. He averted his gaze, and his eyes fell upon the strange silhouette of an object sitting, on what he presumed to be the table, and his brows curved into a slight frown in confusion. Wondering what it was, as the shape of the form appeared peculiar looking, and it truly was too dark for him to clearly identify, he slipped out of the bed, and headed for the small switch box at the entrance of the room. Reaching his destination, the ninja flicked on the lights, and strolled back to where the wooden structure was located, passing the turned-off television set on the way.

_What is that…?_ He pondered, stopping just short of the table to pick up a forest green bottle, and he read the label that bared the name of a wine company quite popular amongst the people of his city, especially within the teenagers in high school and college levels. A blank, confused look flickered over his expression, but then the realization struck him hard, and he raised widened pupils in the direction of the bed, where his friend was sleeping. It could only be _her_ wine bottle, but he knew her well, and it was not in her character to drink, since she told him many times that she loathed going to parties in sophomore year and beyond because of the alcohol guaranteed to be served at the gatherings.

_But then who else's could this be…?_ Kenji asked himself silently, feeling a bit baffled. There was little doubt in his mind that the possibilities limited the owner of the beverage to the feline zoanthrope, but he refused to believe that she would drink for no reason. _But wait… she said something about suffering from insomnia…_ he recalled just then, remembering the glazed look in her eyes when she giggled and stood up from the floor to join him in bed. A deeper frown marred his brows at the thought, and he listlessly turned the bottle over multiple times in his hands, as if the inanimate object would give him the answer he was seeking. _This has to belong to Uriko… right…? But why would she…?_

A conjecture hit him with a forceful blow all of a sudden. It was in his knowledge that wine contained alcohol, although not as heavily as certain others of its kind and that one could become drunk from consuming up to a weighted amount of the liquid. He lifted the bottle, finding out that it was only half-full with the remaining contents still inside, and there was the dark possibility lingering in the back of his mind that Uriko must have gotten at least a bit drunk herself from drinking so much of the wine. From his own personal experience, the ninja was fully aware of the fact that when in the dazed and partially conscious state, she could have done things that she normally would not when completely sober.

What if one of those included the experienced that he shared together with her and the union that succumbed to their primal urges was something she would have never done unless she had been drunk? Perhaps she only slept with him because she was half-aware of the ongoings, and had allowed him to take their kiss all the way due to the fact that resistance was not registered in her tipsy state of mind. That concept crushed his emotions, and Kenji trembled in apprehension, anxiously wishing that it was not true, and she would have chosen to be with him even without the effects of the alcohol contaminating her ability to reason. His teeth grinding together in agitation, he hurriedly set the bottle back down on the table before his fists threatened to crush it within his bare hands and injure himself.

_What have I done…?_ He wondered as his gaze flickered upon the drowsing form of his best friend, silently watching her as she rose and fell with the rhythm of her serene breathing. _What… have… I… done…??_

The question repeated itself in his mind, and the male youth felt his lips curl into a deadly snarl at the thought of how he stole the girl's innocence without her consent. It was as if… no, it was, just like in his nightmare, he had raped her, violated and used her body when she was not even fully aware of what was going on. Because she had not been sober, she could not make her own decisions when her head was swimming dizzily, and he had taken advantage of her in that vulnerable state. He felt so… Combinations of shock, repulse, horror, disgust, all swirled together and attacked his raw feelings ruthlessly, just as he deserved the harsh treatment.

"Oh, no…" Kenji breathed, a pained look on his expression; his face was pale, his blood draining while his teeth clenched so hard that he thought he would crack them. "I… I raped her… I raped Uriko… My God… I can't believe… I can't believe I did that to her…"

_This is not the first time either…_ his head snapped up at the thought. _Last weekend… and then now… God, how could I have done… such a horrible thing… to my own best friend…_ His chest clenched painfully as his heart raced with adrenaline that surged through his system, and the ninja felt his knees wobble, so he sat down in the chair pulled up next to the table. His entire body began to tremble the second that his rear met the soft cushion, and reflexively his hands shot out to grip the armrests of his seat, crushing the soft material beneath his palms. He stared ahead blankly for an endless period of time, allowing cold indictments to continuously strike at his emotions, and wither at the already dwindling fire of his spirit barely flickering inside him.

Finally, he broke and tears spilled from his eyes, smoothly gliding down along the curve of his cheekbones, belying a salty taste when they slid inside his lips and fell onto his tongue. Ignoring them, the mole zoanthrope buried his face into his hands and felt wetness seeping into the skin of his open palms and fingers, while his shoulders shook and quivered in sync. "I-I am sorry, kitten…" he choked out as a lump lodged itself into his throat, and he found it a little more difficult to speak when he had to force the words past the blockage. "Uriko… I am so sorry… I wonder if… if you knew…"

__

Of course she didn't know, you fool! An icy voice harshly accused inside his mind. _Why else would she have continued being your friend if she knew that you violated her not once, but twice, in the mere range of a single week! What a horrible, horrible person you are, as well as an incompetent friend…_

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" Kenji murmured repeatedly, all the while sobbing into the cold comfort of his hands, unsure if he were apologizing to the inward scolding, or to the sleeping form of his zoanthrope compatriot. "I know that I don't… I don't deserve her as my friend…"

_Damn right you don't…_ The bitter tone continued, each word somehow knowingly hitting a tender spot that made him grimace constantly throughout the period. _The evil is still within; you had never ridded of it two years ago or even the previous year, as you stupidly thought so. There is no compassion inside you, only hatred, dark desperation, and the lust for destruction, to destroy people and corrupt their lives by your own sinful hands… Try as you may, waste as much energy and effort as you wish, but just know that you will **never** be able to redeem yourself, Bakuryu…_

"N-No! I'm not Bakuryu!" He exclaimed, forgetting to keep his voice down so that his friend would not awaken, while a wild glaze of fury ignited in his eyes. "Bakuryu is dead, he's no longer a part of me! I destroyed the last remnants of my assassin counterpart last year, after I killed Xion to repay my debt to Yugo, and in doing so, I killed Bakuryu as well! He has already been decimated, forgotten, and he will _never_ ever be able to control me and take another life again!"

_Oh, how you do like to cling to your pathetic fantasies… _A low, sinister chuckle that faintly made him remember the evil influence that he felt back when he had indeed taken on the identity of the assassin Bakuryu. _Wake up to reality, boy. Someday, you will kill everyone you hold dear to your heart. Your zoanthrope allies, your brother Yugo, his girlfriend Alice, and ahh, you mustn't forget about your precious little 'friend' Uriko…_

"Shut up. You're LYING!" Kenji declared, clutching his head in his hands at the inner turmoil; his friend stirred slightly on the bed, and he froze, waiting for her to become still again before attempting to continue speaking. "Leave me alone! I won't listen!!" _I can't stand being here any longer, I have to leave… leave before this crazy voice drives me to the brink of insanity and makes me hurt Uriko…!_

A merciless laughing noise echoed in his mind as the sixteen-year-old quickly ran over to where his prom attire was, and stripped off his robe to throw the suit and other accessories on. He hastily scrambled around the room and gathered together a piece of paper and a pen, writing his friend a letter, and placed it on the table with the keys, and the credit card alongside it so that she could take a taxi cab home in the morning. Making sure that he had all his belongings, Kenji strode over to the entrance and pulled open the tall wooden frame so that he could exit out into the hallway. His body halfway over the boundary, he paused and gave the sleeping Uriko on the bed an apologetic look, and then turned away before he could change his decision, and stealthily slipped away, quietly shutting the door behind him.


	24. Confront

****

Confront

__

Diiiiiiing, dooooong!

With one slender finger poised over the doorbell, more than ready to press down on it again, Uriko decided to rid her rigid position, and slouched her knees, trying to relax herself into a casual pose. Clutched in the grip of the other hand that she had dangling next to her side was a piece of paper she had found lying on the table of the hotel room when she woke up that morning. It was a letter from her friend, and the contents confused her, as his artfully twisted words did not explain anything to the point of understanding. Now, as she stood on the front porch before his house, she awaited the opening of the door so that she could ask the ninja why he left without her earlier.

When she discovered he was gone, a feeling of desolation and abandonment struck her, and she instantly wondered if her zoanthrope compatriot was one of the guys at her school that played the one-night-stand game. But no, not Kenji, he was far from resembling those knuckle-headed jocks; surely he had a good and reasonable explanation for leaving the hotel without her. The feline found his letter, and alongside it was the room keys and his borrowed credit card on the table, and had regarded them with curious bewilderment. She gathered together what little belongings was brought, and checked out of at the receptionist desk, then called for a cab to bring her home. The box of condoms and the bottle containing the remainder of the wine that she did not finish consuming stayed in the room, as she felt no reason to take them with her.

A quick shower and a change of clothes later, Uriko left her house to head over to her friend's residence, armed with the letter, and many questions that soared through her mind. She had his credit card in her pocket, although she was so irritated with his earlier ditching that she briefly contemplated not giving it back to him. The sun bore its warm rays down onto the earth, making everything sparkle and gleam in the light, reflecting the various colors of a lone butterfly that fluttered about the place. The winged-creature breezed around the Kenpo student's auburn bangs as she walked, briefly swooping down to land on the tip of her nose, which she strangely did not notice, even when it flew off seconds later. She was unable to enjoy the beauty of the current day, when there were clouds of doubt and suspicion mixed with a sliver of anger lingering over her mood.

Brought back to the present, the female student glanced down at the hand that grasped his letter, and unbidden her eyes started to scan over the message, once again baffled by the enigma.

__

Uriko,

Last night was unforgettable. I will treasure what we shared together for an endless time, and look back on it as a rare, beautifully shining jewel amongst the pile of rubble and dirt that is the representation of my life. I would not have felt remorseful about our experience, if only both parties had been completely and thoroughly aware of what was happening, but unfortunately, that wasn't how the situation went. You are not at fault in the least bit, and your trusting innocence is what has grazed and shattered the morals of my insistent conscience. I promised to protect you from harm, Uriko, but I have failed, far more times than I should ever been allowed to, or forgiven. At the very least, I swear what little honor I deserve that you will never ever be hurt by my own hands.

Kenji

…What a strange letter, she thought after reading it over, and then tucked it into her pocket as she continued waiting for her friend to answer.

The door swung open at that moment, startling the girl back to reality, and she was met face-to-face with Kenji, a nonchalant expression plastered on his features. Blush quickly fanned her cheeks when she saw that he was shirtless; sweat glistened on his forehead, implying that he was in the middle of doing something that took a considerable amount of effort. A towel loosely hung around his neck, lingering over his shoulders, and he appeared to look flustered, as if he were surprised to find his schoolmate standing on his porch. She shot him a pointed look, and raised the hand that held his letter, and the second he spotted that, the ninja allowed a frown to mar his brows as he elicited a quiet groan.

Uriko started to open her mouth so she could begin questioning him, but he predicted her action, turned his back to her, and strode away further into the house, leaving her there alone. Setting her jaw in determination, the sixteen-year-old persistently followed him, pushing the shutting the door behind her as she tagged along after his retreating figure. She tailed him across the living room, past the kitchen and stairs, all the way until he stepped out into his backyard through the sliding door that was already open. Paying no attention to her presence, he immediately walked over to the middle of the concrete ground, and threw off the towel that encircled his throat.

"Ex_cuse_ me," she piped up, feeling irritated when she spotted him practice his fighting techniques, acting as if she did not even exist. He continued his training; ignoring her annoyed initiation, he sliced swift punches into the air, and combined them with a full-circle turn that had his elbows crooked at a hooked angel, and finished it off by a double-legged roundhouse kick. The observing female had to admit that her friend looked direly impressive throughout the performance, his chest heaving with effort, his bangs flinging about the place wildly in sync with his movement. His muscles seemed to tense whenever he executed a blow that would prove to give devastating fatality should it had hit certain vulnerable parts of another fellow fighter.

The ninja agilely back-flipped all of a sudden, landing several feet behind Uriko, making her even more agitated that he would try to escape the extension of her view. She pivoted to watch him, and discovered he was now striking his fists and sides of his feet at the thick trunk of a large tree that sat snugly in one corner of the grassy section past the concrete floor covering. To her surprise, he flipped his position so that he supported his weight by his hands, standing on them as his legs shifted toward the tree, and surrounded a small branch. Hooking his feet securely around it, Kenji yanked off the perturbing piece of wood and threw it over a distance, and the stick landed neatly onto the towel he tossed aside earlier.

"Wow." She blurted aloud; unable to suppress the fact that she was impressed with his stability in his body and the wide range of new combination attacks that he must have stored within him.

He pushed off the ground, and leapt back on his feet, retaining a normal standing, while his only response to her exclamation was a brief, silent flicker of amusement in his pupils as he quickly glanced at her, then immediately averted his attention elsewhere.

"Grrrr…" she growled with all of her feline dignity, and marched over to his location, grabbing a hold of his arm; that stopped him from his practicing, and when she forcefully jerked him toward her, he could not do anything else but face her. "Damn it, Kenji, I'm trying to talk to you," she ground out quietly, restrained frustration in her voice.

"You would be smart to leave me at once." Her companion shot back acidly, icy anger bared in his eyes as he tugged himself out of her grasp, all the while glaring at her through emotionless, half-lowered lids. "Can't you take the hint that I have been trying to imprint upon you?"

"I can be stupid if I want to!" The Kenpo student sassed, and on impulse, she grabbed his chin with her fingers and manually turned his face to look at her, but she inwardly cringed when she spied a dark, unspoken deadly gleam in his otherwise light-shaded irises. The corners of his mouth pulled back into a slight snarl, and she could barely hear the quiet sound of a dangerous growl slowly making its way up his throat. Her gaze quickly darted down to peer at his hands, and she found them hanging stiffly by his sides, clenched into fists and for some strange reason, both of them were trembling. She moved her eyes back upward, and drifted by his chest, which was rising and falling in a readily fast paced rhythm, signaling his increasing annoyance.

"Leave." He spoke softly, but there was steel in his command, and a sliver of pleading in his eyes for her to obey him. "Leave now, before you entice me into doing something that we will both regret later, just the same as the event that happened between us last night."

"What?" Uriko exclaimed, her eyes widening, as she was obviously surprised by his admission. "You _regret_ last night?" Her brows twisted in confusion, and she could only manage out, "But… Wh…Why??"

"You should know." Came the simple statement as the lean teenage male stepped away from her and turned his back once again, heading for the exit of the backyard that led into his house.

"You wait right there!" She demanded in a hiss, and sprung off the ground, leaping into the air and sailed over his head, descending down to the earth with mere inches separating their standing forms. A stern look creased her expression, and the girl folded her arms across her chest as she fixated a raised eyebrow at her friend, and regarded him for a silent moment. He responded to her wordless challenge, moving forward and decreasing what small space was in between them, smirking arrogantly when she bit her lip and stepped back a little ways. Kenji felt the strange urge to keep pursuing until the shadow of fear inhibited her eyes, and then while she was dumbfounded with fright, he could zero in and raise his hand to strike her, a dark voice whispering in him that wanted to hear her scream…

She gasped at that moment, almost as if she had heard the evil possibility soaring through his mind, and whirled around to run from the backyard and dart into his house. Clinging to the sniggering, persuasive words that danced in his ears, his arms shot out and immediately, his fingers latched onto her shoulders, holding her strongly so that she could not scamper away from him. A ruthless laughing noise sounded in his head, sending the ninja deeper into the abyss of gore and bloodlust, intoxicating his senses with the need to inflict pain. His grip on her tightened considerably, making her grimace with his raw display of commandment, and hinted at how he wanted to dominate over her.

A whimper escaped her lips, and it seemed to bring him back to his normal state of mind; he released his hold and reeled back as if mere contact would cause both of them to suffer. She blinked at him in curiosity, wondering what invoked him to let her go and Kenji stared at her wordlessly, while an uneasy look formed over his facial features. His eyes darkened and he opened his mouth, seeming as though he were about to reveal a malicious secret, and she leaned forward, eager to hear him speak. Then it appeared that he changed his mind, for he turned away from her and crossed his arms over his chest, copying her earlier motion, and now the two were in the same pose.

"You were drunk last night, weren't you." It was not a question, rather a matter-of-fact statement.

Uriko withheld the small gasp that bubbled in her throat - there was no possibility of him knowing that she had drank wine the night before - and croaked out instead, "I-I don't know what you're talking about…! How could I have been drunk if I don't even drink?"

"Don't lie; I found your wine bottle. You left it on the table, and I saw it." He released a heavy sigh, then shook his head and his body quivered briefly, as if the information affected his very being. "You were drunk. That's the reason why you… went to bed with me, because you weren't sober and fully aware of what was going on, since you were distorted by the alcohol in your system."

"That's crazy," she denied, glaring at the back of his neck. "You can't get drunk from just drinking half a bottle of wine. I mean, it's not like I was drinking vodka or something else that strong! I only felt tipsy last night, in a dreamy state, like everything was floating softly, and it felt like there was little that could go wrong and bring me down." A small smile touched her lips. "It was like escaping into a fantasy world."

He turned around and fixated a pair of cold, silently calculating eyes on her, while a melancholic twist lifted the corners of his mouth in an unreadable expression. "So you admit it, you drank. It really is pointless to lie when there is blatant evidence proving you to be wrong."

"Well… well… all right, so you caught me in that little fib," Uriko admitted reluctantly, glancing down at her hands guiltily, then her head snapped back up to look at him. "But that doesn't explain why you ditched me and left the hotel room before I woke up this morning! What exactly did you mean in this," she shoved her hand into her pocket and yanked out the piece of paper that betrayed his strange and mystifying words on it, "this letter that you left behind on the table along with all the other stuff?"

His face paled at the sight of the mentioned letter, and he displayed visible signs of timidity as he ran a hand through his cobalt-colored hair in nervous instinct. "Oh… that. I didn't think you would… keep it after you read it."

"So, since I did keep this, would ya mind, you know, annotating your letter for me?" She asked, moving around so that she could his face, and she tilted her hand in his direction, waving the drafty paper before his nose.

"My message is not meant to be clearly deciphered." The mole zoanthrope replied, easily evading her question and felt a slight pang of guilt when she trained mournful, begging eyes in his direction.

"Tell me, Kenji," she urged, moving toward him and not stopping until her lips were next to his ear. "You sounded so sated and depressed in your letter, and you kept talking about how you betrayed me in some way, and failed on… something or other. What exactly were you talking about? Why do you think that you failed me, does it have something to do with your promise?"

He shook his head vigorously. "Not merely _some_thing, but rather almost everything. I took advantage of you last night, and that was undoubtedly a failure in my sworn promise to protect you…"

"Oh please, Kenji, you did **not** take advantage of me last night, no matter what you think!" The feline insisted, and blushed in anticipation of her next words, "I would never take back the night for _anything_. And… and I'm glad that… that my first time was with you, instead of some other poor substitute."

"That was… your first time?" Kenji crooked an eyebrow. "But… but what about the previous years that you attended prom, after it was over, didn't you and your date stay at the hotel overnight…?"

Her nose immediately wrinkled in disgust and she made a gagging motion, opening her mouth and allowing her finger to hover in the pose of being stuck in her throat. "Gross! I wouldn't have slept with those guys if they were the last people on Earth! They were such losers, and after I found out that they only asked me to prom because of one thing, I hung around with my reliable friends, and left the dance with them instead of my dates. I'm not stupid, after all!"

"I know that," he smirked slightly. "Well… I have to admit that I'm pleased to hear… hear that last night was your first time, even though I don't know… I don't know why you chose _me_ to have the privilege of… claiming your innocence…" His voice was barely above a whisper now, and his cheeks flushed red with embarrassment at how bluntly he was stating his thoughts.

She giggled softly. "You're blushing, Kenji, how cute! I didn't think you'd be that flattered, especially after you were going on and on about supposedly failing to protect me. Come on, when have you ever done anything to me against my will, or that was harmful and forced?"

Unbidden came the memory of his most recent nightmare, and Kenji shrank back at the remembrance, casting eyes filled with guilt around the backyard as he avoided her gaze. The auburn-haired teenager sensed his hesitancy, and a bit of a frown creased her delicate features as she reached her hand out and lightly tapped his shoulder. "Kenji? Is something wrong?"

"Yes… I suppose you could say that…" he mumbled, and then as if in a trance, began to listlessly walk toward the entrance leading into his home, with the Kenpo student following him, while she was baffled by his sudden mood change. He knew that she was behind him, and led her to the living room, waving his hand at one of the couches and motioning for her to sit in whichever she chose. She complied, plopping down onto the cushion of the single seat - his older brother's favorite chair - and waited as the mole zoanthrope sat leaning against the right side of the loveseat across from her. His expression was gravely serious as he stared at her intensely for a few silent moments, and for a moment she worried about what he was going to discuss.

"Last night, I had another one of those weird dreams," he spoke, his eyes never leaving her as he continued talking. "It revealed to me an atrocious… deeply horrible secret that had lied dormant within my mind, hiding the sin that I committed for quite some time, until it was unearthed yesterday."

She nodded, her irises shining with compassion and concern for him. "Was it… was it back from when you were Bakuryu, a couple years ago with the ZLF craze and everything?"

To her surprise, Kenji laughed, but it was a bitter sound that echoed in her ears, bringing an inkling icy alarm to her nerves, and a suspicion that ignited in her acute senses. "Contrary to both of our beliefs, it was quite recent. Very recent. In fact," he locked eye contact with her, "so recent, that you should have a clear memory of what happened that still is hovering like a dark cloud in the back of your mind."

"What… what are you talking about, Kenji…?" the confused girl asked him pointedly, her voice indicating that she was in no mood to be bullshitted, and hear him dance around the subject.

"Dear kitten, I am sure that you remember last weekend. Or, to be more specific, the Saturday of last weekend," he clarified, watching her carefully, awaiting any signs of a reaction from her, somehow praying that she would deny what notion he would bring up in the near future.

"L-Last Saturday?" Uriko stammered, unable to cover up the quivering note in her tone. "I-It wasn't anything special, I mean, it was just a Saturday like any other, nothing out of the ordinary happened…"

"Uriko." A small fire of restrained anger burned in the depths of his hazy brown irises. "You don't have to pretend like you don't remember what happened. The dream I had yesterday? It was about last weekend, and I now know…" he trailed off, and a raw, pained expression crossed his facial features, "I know that I forced myself on you."


	25. Abduct

****

Abduct

The female zoanthrope emitted a choked gasp, and her reaction brought a crestfallen look over Kenji's expression; she just confirmed his worst fear, and it felt like a knife had stabbed and penetrated into his stomach. "So… I _did_ do that…terrible thing…to you…"

She shook her head slowly and raised her hand to silence him as she frantically tried to recover, "N-No, Kenji, that's not what really happened-"

"Don't lie to me!" His voice elevated to a shouting level, startling her into shrinking back. "Tell me the truth! I don't want you to try and protect my feelings; I want to know what recent sin I have committed and inflicted upon you!"

"O-okay…" she whispered breathlessly, her fingers starting to unconsciously wring the material of her shirt together in a reflex of nervousness. She exhaled a deeply, and leisurely lifted her chin so that their eyes could meet, and she spied the silent anxiety lingering in his light brown depths. "The… the truth is…" she glanced off to the side, "…you almost, almost raped me last Saturday, but you didn't go through with it all the way, honestly!"

His facial portrayal showed that he did not fully believe her. "…Almost," he repeated, sounding dubious. "You said almost. But not… you know…?"

"That's right," Uriko assured him insistently, nodding with avid enthusiasm. "You didn't. Almost, but you didn't, and that's what counts! Or at least, I think so. Besides, it wasn't even your fault that you…tried to… I know that you must recall you were drunk, so don't go blaming yourself for the…ugly attempt…last Saturday, okay?"

The ninja gazed at her sadly in response, sorrow and remorse reflecting in his shady pupils as he sighed heavily and slumped down in his seat, his bare back rubbing against the rough covering of the couch. "Even knowing that I merely attempted such an act of atrocity on you brings me great melancholy; you don't deserve a rotten cur that hurts you when he is someone that should instead be protecting you, Uriko. You don't know how sorry I am that I almost… that I almost…" his soft-spoken tone lowered even moreso. "I apologize… I am so sorry… I didn't mean to… I wish that I could have stopped myself from…" he hesitantly forged eye contact with her, "I'm just very sorry. I know apologizing doesn't redeem or compensate for anything, but…"

"Kenji, hush," the feline urged, leaning forward and gently pressing her finger to his lips. "I _know_ you're sorry. And I know you didn't mean it. Please don't feel so guilty, Kenji, and don't think for a second that I'm mad at you about what happened last Saturday, because I really don't. It wasn't in any way your fault. I was just a little upset with you earlier today because I thought that you ditched me at the hotel; that kind of reminded me of the one-night stand things that some guys at school do…"

His eyes flashed in disbelief. "I would never do that to you… I… I mean, I may have committed several acts of… of cruelty toward you, but abandonment is not in my character."

_Sometimes, you might not know what **is** in your character…_ Uriko mused to herself absentmindedly.

"…If you think that, then it means you must have decided to stop trusting me," her companion spoke up at that moment, startling her.

"I didn't realize I said that out loud…" she murmured, ducking her head as she blushed slightly.

"Maybe it would be best…for the both of us…that we stop being around each other for a while." He suggested matter-of-factly, an emotionless note in his voice. "If we don't distance ourselves, we may end up destroying this friendship instead of repairing a damaged one instead."

"What? Our friendship's not damaged!" Her lower lip trembled at his foresight.

His eyes rolled at her denial. "Come to terms with reality, Uriko. If you are not willing to face the truth, then very soon, you will only be betrayed by your own deceit and lies."

She fumed silently, and the heat baring down at her from the ire rising inside her suddenly pricked dire annoyance in her nerves, making the girl quiver in anger and frustration. Her pupils turned fiery as she shot him a cool glare, but agreed, "Fine, be that way, throw away two years… Who knows how _this_ fight will end this time…"

"Cooperate, and it will end well. Fight against it, and… well… you can make your own presumptions." Kenji arose from his chair, and glanced at her with an almost condescending smirk, arrogance and intimidation lacing his action. "I'm going to the backyard to continue my training before I had been disrupted. Please lock the door when you let yourself out."

"Worry about yourself… you seem to be best at doing that." The brown-haired student muttered and lurched out of her seat; she ripped a small rectangular object out from her pocket and threw it at him before striding over to the door and slipping out of the residence before he even had a chance to react.

The mole zoanthrope maintained a nonchalant expression as to hide the pain conflicting on his face, even from himself, and sighed heavily in response what had just happened. Glancing down to see what she had tossed at him, he discovered that it was his brother's credit card, and he grimaced, then set it onto the small table in between the sofas. He turned around and headed for the backyard, wanting to throw his efforts into the fighting practice and forget about the events that took place, knowing they would destroy him if he brooded long enough. The crack in his friendship with Uriko had widened, and he feared that it would grow too large before being able to be repaired.

Cursing his rival at school for throwing the party and starting all the troubles, he mumbled a couple of choice words and began to intensely concentrating on executing his battle techniques.

*****

"Congratulations on achieving the top title of our class' basketball tournament," the words sounded faintly forced, as if the speaker was reluctant to admit to the victory.

Kenji looked up from his sitting position on the bench in the locker room; he fastened the last button of his dark navy blue school uniform, and grabbed one of his backpack straps. His eyebrows creased in disapproval when he discovered who was talking to him, "…Thank you, Cronos."

"It must feel great to be such an essential part of the team," the older boy emitted a noise that sounded like a snort. "The star player. The envy of all the others that lost in the games."

"I am not that arrogant in assuming that I'm the most important player on my team," he replied coldly, standing up and slinging his bag over his shoulder to get ready and leave the vicinity. "You may appreciate the role if you had it yourself, but I would rather just be another regular teammate that does not stick out, and is normal like the rest."

"Hah, so you say," Cronos sounded dubious. "Admit it; you adore the attention people shower upon you. No one likes to be deposited aside into a corner and ignored, after all. It is human nature to want to be needed, envied, since it fuels the desire to thrive in life, and perform actions knowing that others will be intently watching every movement."

"I prefer my privacy…" The younger male student insisted, pushing his way past the barrier and trailing toward the exit out of the locker room so that he could proceed to his next class.

"Halt your movement for a minute, Ohgami."

Kenji lifted his head to look at the ceiling in a show of exasperation and tingled with the impatience that surged through his veins at the very same moment. Without turning to face his rival, he ground out, "…Yes?"

"I am astonished to discover that you have not been on outings with my girlfriend lately. Are the two of you having problems?" An impish smile lingered over his lips.

"Your girlfriend?"

"You know who I speak of. Madam Uriko Nonomura." The jade-haired teenager smirked at the shocked expression that suddenly crossed over the other boy's face.

A fortnight had passed since the friendship between the two young zoanthropes had weakened, and they truly had not been hanging around together inside or outside of school. He spent his time training his fighting skills, awaiting his brother's return home, and preparing for the final exams in class that would take place in the following week. Since he preferred to stay out of the social circle of adolescent life, he was uninformed of any changes that might have occurred in the time of absence. But never did the ninja imagine that his compatriot would date Cronos, and long enough to actually engage in a relationship with him that bound them together as boyfriend and girlfriend. Finding that tidbit of information out sent an electric jolt zapping at his nerves, and he grimaced from the invisible pain, but tried to appear emotionless.

"That's great for you two," Kenji said finally, not bothering to hide the falseness coating his words. "And it is none of your business whether or not there are conflicts between us. You keep your relationship with her, and she and I will maintain our friendship on the side."

"My, you sound almost… bitter," his rival snickered, a malicious glint shimmering in his eerie yellow eyes. "I do hope that is not a hint of envy in your voice."

"I have nothing to be jealous about." The sixteen-year-old snarled lowly, knowing that it was unconvincing; then stalked out of the locker room, hearing the relentless laughter of his adversary linger in his ears as he walked away.

Staying behind, still clinging to his satisfied and triumphant guffawing, several minutes had to pass before Cronos could regain control over his actions and consciousness. Shaking his head in amusement, he giggled and glanced down briefly at the ground, placing his hand on his cheek to stop the tremors that shook his face. He caught sight of a single sheet of paper that laid on the floor, and figuring that it dropped out of Kenji's backpack, he leaned over and picked it up. Letting curiosity get the better of him, he read the contents, and when the facts registered in his mind, his features turned pale as blood drained out of them and his mouth dropped open in horror.

Flames leaped out around the edges of his eyes as the new student crumbled the paper into a ball, and kept it tucked in the hand that he had clenched into a fist. He elicited a noise that resembled the growl of a deadly predator betrayed by a member of its own group, and stormed out of the locker room with heavy steps. A couple of his peers glanced at the boy cautiously, moving away from him as they sensed the anger that emitted from his form. Even his friends shifted to the sides when they saw him approaching, and for the rest of the day, his enigmatic profile mystified many others. No one could guess the thoughts that ran through his mind, or the plan that was formulating, and had to be proceeded through in order for him to hold onto his sane state of mind.

*****

Uriko hummed cheerfully as she strolled down the sidewalk that led away from the school, happy that the day of classes was over, and could not wait to go home. Her long braided length of brown hair bounced against her backpack while she walked, shifting from one side to another in the rhythm of her motion. Strangely, her new boyfriend had not appeared from out of somewhere to offer her a ride like he had done so every day for the last week and a half that they had been together. But truthfully, she was glad for the freebie and not having him around so often, practically breathing down her neck as he stuck close to her everytime they saw each other on campus and outside.

_Finally, some peace and quiet!_ She thought to herself in relief, elated that she finally had some time to just be alone and not have her beau's attention focusing on her each passing minute of the day. Occasionally, the girl's mind would sway over to the topic of her former friend, but she knew that it was pointless to linger on the topics that would only eventually bring her grief. The more she wondered if their friendship could be saved, the more worried she grew due to the fact that it had already been two weeks since their decision to become distant from the other. She regretted leaving their problems unsolved, and felt that if they did not confront the issues hovering between them soon, it would be too late to save what bond they had once shared.

_If only I hadn't been so stubborn,_ the feline zoanthrope sighed, and began to fumble with the material of her school uniform between her fingers. _I wonder what Kenji has been doing to pass the time these last couple of weeks… Does he miss our friendship at all, or does he enjoy being separated from me? Ugh, what if he knows about Cronos and I being together; is that the reason why I haven't seen Kenji in a while; is he purposely avoiding me?_

There she went again, brooding over such matters that would just bring her worry and constant guessing, and she would never receive an answer unless she walked right up to her ally and forced him to deal with and resolve their conflicts. Uriko bit her lip in annoyance at herself and forced the dancing conjectures out of her mind, instead focusing on the sidewalk and proceeding to return back to her residence. Just as she was thinking that, a split second passed and her ears picked up the sound of a rumbling noise behind her, then the crisp click of a door being opened. She began to turn around and face the arriver, presuming that it was her boyfriend who had arrived and probably wanted to take her the rest of the way home.

All of a sudden, a soft cloth covered her nose and eyes, preventing her from seeing what was going on, while sturdy holds held iron grips on her arms, keeping them bound to her sides. Warmth aligned alongside her form, seeming to absorb her strength and will away any and all inklings of resistance that she would display to fight off the assault. "?!?!" The girl immediately started struggling against the imprisonment, but a peculiar smell floated from the material shading her sight and entered her nostril senses. Once inhaled into her system, a strong feeling of faintness clouded her nerves, and she unwillingly fell limp, losing consciousness as her body slumped over.

The person holding her captive smiled in a manner that displayed malice and merciless intention for the young teenage female, and quickly flicked a wrist, motioning for assistance.

*****

_This separation has gone long enough. It is time to initiate something… anything, and hopefully we can still repair some of our formerly intact and strongly bound friendship…_

Tapping the tips of his fingers upon the automatic gears of his car in a show of impatience, Kenji did not bother to shield the discomforted look displayed on his expression. As he waited for the traffic light to change and allow him to proceed forward, he sighed in defeat at his inner conflicts and turned the steering wheel in a direction different from if he were to head for his own house. After two weeks of silence, he was tired of being alone, and wanted his best friend back in his life, to have her cheery personality lit up a smile on his face. She kept him from sliding into his own abyss of despair and sorrow, and he feared that going too long without her influence would prove fatal for his existence.

__

It is foolish to throw away our friendship because of my selfish conditions, he mused in distaste at himself, his lips curling back into a snarl as he thought of how much he had stalled in not wanting to be the first to give into the resolution of their argument. But the ninja felt that he would gladly boot out his pride and arrogance if it meant that Uriko would forgive him, and they would mend their relationship back to its previous strong state. He made a left on the street that her home was on, and proceeded forward - just in time to see the seemingly unconscious body of his former friend being deposited into the backseat of a sleek, beige-painted vehicle by a figure shrouded in dark golden garbs. His eyebrows rose in astonishment, then quickly creased in anger and suspicion, and as the door slammed closed, the car sped away, and the mole zoanthrope instantly followed.

Being careful not to be discovered that he was trailing after the vehicle, he kept a safe distance, and hovered near the curbs whenever he felt that discreet was needed. Kenji felt his knuckles ache at how tightly he was clutching the steering wheel, but ignored the slight prick of pain and focused his attention on the white car in front of him. He drove on for what seemed like hours to him, though in reality it was around thirty minutes, but his anxiety dragged on each second longer than initially intended. The vehicle he was tailing went onto the highway, and he persisted; both cars kept going in the same direction, until the first one finally pulled into an exit.

The cobalt-haired teenager revved his convertible and continued his pursuit, surprised when the car before him stopped by the curb near the local international airport. He quickly sped ahead to find a parking spot, and then ran back toward where he had seen the mysterious person disappear off to with his zoanthrope compatriot. Frightening the other passengers with the cold and deadly aura surrounding his form, he moved with the stealthy motion and shadowing techniques he was once taught before back in his assassin days. Kenji followed his target up an escalator, and over to lines that led to a counter where customers could purchase plane tickets.

He stood on the sides as closely as he could, listening in to the best of his ability, and eyed the enigmatic figure dashing toward the metal detector gates with his friend in possession. The teenager watched the golden-clothed person pause and explain to the flight attendant, presumably lie about her condition, and unfortunately, the airline worker nodded in sympathy, and the kidnapper was granted access through. Kenji swore under his breath at the kind-hearted gesture, and quickly retrieved his brother's credit card to buy a ticket; he told the seller the gate number that he had remembering hearing. Again, he lied about his identity, but got his purchase, and unfortunately, he had to buy a ticket for the flight following, since there was no more room on the one that he wanted.

__

Yugo is going to kill me for spending so much money while he's gone, he thought in slight bemusement.

The ninja tried to rush in the direction of his pursuit without jostling and running into too many other innocents, and when he saw the mysterious figure disappear into the gate, he instantly ran to follow. The crowd of fliers had thickened, and it took him several minutes to fight his way through the immense amount of people before he was able to step out into a clearing. He watched the ticket attendant shut and lock the door with the pathway that led to the plane, and groaned aloud at his failure. There was an hour before his flight was going to leave, which meant that he would be considerably delayed in going after and retrieving his friend.

Kenji made his way over to the area near his gate, and collapsed into one of the waiting chairs, tucking and hiding his face into the open palms of his hands. Finally, he realized that he had no idea where he was going, and pulled back, glancing over at the ticket to see the location his plane was heading to. His light brown eyes widened in shock as his lips moved to murmur the words quietly to himself, and he immediately leaned into the support of the chair he was sitting in. He shook his head in amazement, and read over the contents once more to make sure it was not an illusion that was playing tricks with his mind.

"I'm… I'm going to India…?"


	26. Illusion

****

Illusion

"Uhmm…"

The first sensation Uriko was conscious to was the feeling of a cool liquid sliding down her scratchy throat, briefly soothing the soreness of the dry canal. A low, pleased chuckle reached her ears, but she paid little attention to that, due to the fact that fatigue was stealing her energy. Her head lolled to the side in reflex, and her lips mumbled in protest when she left the sweet drink that had brought her temporary contentment. Barely gathering enough strength to open her eyes, the Kenpo student blinked slowly and tried to focus on the scenario that unfolded before her view.

It took a minute for her to realize that there was black material covering her sight, and the prevention made her groan in exhausted defeat. As her senses began to grow more aware of the surroundings, she discovered that she was standing up, and her back leaned against a hard support. She tried to move her arms from their stiffly raised positions above her head, but found out that she could not; the feline tugged and fought the restraint, but it was in futile effort. When she attempted to budge her legs, they would not relent and could move around as well as her imprisoned hands, which brought her confusion and desolation as she wondered what kind of situation had befallen her.

_I…I was… I was walking home from school…_ The girl recalled faintly, flinching when the impacting throbbing of her own pulse thundered in her head, distracting her from the reminiscing. _Then… then I'm here… What… what happened between the end of school and now…? _Another realization hit her. _Oh no, I won't be discovered missing until school starts up again on Monday…_

"You have awakened, my princess." A soft-spoken tone of voice caught her attention.

"…? Someone's there…?" A flicker of hope shone inside her, "Please, help untie me - I…I can't move."

"All in due time, love," the words were so quietly emitted that she could not identify if the speaker was male or female, "Once the spawn of atrocity is cleansed out and disposed from the angelic pureness that is your body."

"Wh-what do you mean by that?" Uriko concentrated on her acute hearing, hoping that something would tip her off and she could discover who was in the room with her. "You, wh-whoever's in here too, untie me, please! I-I…don't know where I am…" A sudden wave of nausea made a cry break out from her mouth, and she bit down on her lower lip to keep it sealed; she did not want to express any signs of weakness to the one she was at mercy of.

"Tsk, tsk… He had embodied his essence within you, my poor, innocent darling. Had more time passed, you would have been burdened in plain evidence with the horrific memory of his appalling deed forced upon your person. But thankfully, the situation was recognized before it would become too late to extract the remembrance of his offspring, and soon, you will be saved from the bleakness that is _him_."

"What… what are you talking about…?" she murmured in question, grimacing when her stomach lurched, and she had to fight back the urge to throw up.

A light chuckle. "Do not feel the need to express your gratitude, my sweet. I know that you are far too weary at this moment to do anything, but worry not, your strength will return soon enough, and then all will be clear to your understanding. I should hope that you will feel better in time for when my bodyguard returns with the - hopefully - alive form of the horrible monster that sinned by ravaging your ever-precious body."

"I… I don't get what you're trying to tell me…" Her voice raised to a high-pitched level, expressing her growing hysteria at being trapped, while baffled by the pains that would occasionally stab at her abdomen. The auburn-haired female slumped in her stance, releasing the tension from her body, although not from will, rather that she had little energy left to keep a normal poise. A sudden sensation made her realize that fluid was running down from her inner thighs, and she immediately blushed in horror, wondering if she were allowed to use the facilities. "Oh…God… Whoever you are, I-I have to use the restroom…"

To her surprise, the other presence laughed in delight. "How wonderful, the formula was a success! Such quick results… yes… this is magnificent… Smile now, princess, as it will only take a day or a little more for you to regain your former posture, and there will be no shadow lingering over your head, constantly reminding you of the past dismay."

"Past dismay…?" She tried to shake her head in bewilderment, but dizziness overcame her senses, and she could not fight the sleep that was threatening to engulf her. All the while, the fluid continued flowing down her legs, but a draft that swept around her thighs suggested that she wore no underwear, and possibly only donned loose clothing. Moaning in discomfort, she rustled in her restraints, and struggled to stay awake as she protested once more, "Un…untie me… Let me… let me go… N-now…!"

"Hah, hah, hah, you are being so stubborn in wasting your energy, my darling. Rest, rest! Save your strength for tomorrow, and you will most certainly recover more quickly. Surely, you do not wish to remain irresolute and vulnerable for any longer than necessary?"

"N-No… Let… me… f…fre…" her lips became numb, unwilling to obey her commands, and the back of her head soon met the hard support that was behind her. "U-ugh… I… I want… you to… un…untie me…"

She tried to fight against the persuasive taunt, and the way that her own form was betraying her in not submitting to her commands in trying to escape the imprisonment. A heavy fog fell over her eyes, snapping them shut immediately, and her mind fumbled for coherent thoughts as the words became jumbled and resembled nonsense. Even emitting a mere hiss or groan of pain used up much of her efforts, and she finally decided to conserve as much of her energy as she could, and plan her get away later when she was stronger. The last sound that rang in her ears before she succumbed to the blackness that consumed her being was the amused laughter that seeped through her susceptible body, and chilled Uriko to the very bone in anticipation of what plans lied ahead for her. 

* * *

__

U…ugh… have to… keep going…

A direly exhausted Kenji continued trudging down the pathway before him, feeling each step was being weighed down by lead as he struggled to keep walking forward. The late night scenery before his eyes blurred, and he could barely make out the aspects of a small town where people hustled and bustled about the place. Holding no possessions with him aside from his school uniform, he heard his stomach growl in hunger - he had not eaten since the measly excuse of a breakfast that morning, since he started reclining to lunch at school to avoid crossing paths with his former best friend. Now, he regretted his foolish decision, and each painful moment that passed stabbed and provoked him with the memory of his mistake, while torturing him with the possibility that his zoanthrope compatriot was too far out of his reach to be retrieved back so that she could return home.

"Mmmph…" the ninja hissed groggily, and his dark blue bangs drooped to sway over and comfort the upper, half-closed portion of his eyelids. His shoulders were slumped, and it was taking enormous amounts of his energy, combined with his determined persistence, to pursue his journey. Every nerve in his body screamed for him to lie down somewhere, anywhere at that crucial moment in time, and sleep to sedate his fatigue. But he gritted his teeth and pressed on, forcing his legs to keep moving, scuttling along the dusty ground, even as his consciousness fazed for a moment, which finally caused him to pause, but only momentarily.

The sixteen-year-old clung onto every last bit of strength that was still stirring in his veins, and if it were not for his enhanced zoanthrope abilities assisting his weaker human half, he would have long ago fallen in exhaustion. Streaks of sweat wiped across his face, and his nose was grimy with soot from the dirt that flew around in the air, and yet it seemed he did not notice any of those conditions. His school uniform felt damp as the material stuck to his skin, and he grimaced uncomfortably at the intense heat of the surrounding environment enveloping his body. His feet ached from traveling around India all day, stopping every few minutes to ask residents about a mysterious figure in golden garbs carrying a comatose girl in arms.

His inquiries had led him in all sorts of wayward directions, but one lead had caught his interest: the palace of where a young prince lived, whom people told him had previously left the country to retrieve his future bride from an area in eastern Asia. He dashed off after hearing that tidbit, not bothering to catch the name of the royal member, with the desire of finding his friend riding his nerves and occupying his mind every waking moment. Perhaps it was a long shot that this prince was related to Uriko being kidnapped from her home; but then again, it gave him the most feeling that this would bring him close to his goal. Whatever the costs, however much time it took to get her back, Kenji vowed not to return to Japan until he had her right by his side to go with him.

"U…Uriko… I…I won't… fail you… this time…" he mumbled drowsily, clumsily stumbling to his knees when his foot caught a rock and he had no energy to remain standing. His hands shot out to prevent him from falling on his face, and he was poised in a bent position on his knees with his palms flat upon the pebbly ground. The mole zoanthrope groaned heavily as he felt his arms tingle with effort, but fail as they gave away and he lurched, his upper body falling. There was a brief sting of pain that pricked his cheek when he came into contact with the little stubble on the floor, and he faintly thought a frightened gasp noised somewhere above his head as he passed out.

* * *

The auburn-haired teenager awoke to a burning pain that scorched her body, and for a moment, she thought that she was experiencing a torturous nightmare. But when she screamed aloud, until her throat hurt from being hollered raw, it became apparent that what she was experiencing was happening in reality. The fire spread over her bare skin, which suggested that she had been stripped nude, but when she tried to move her arms and legs, they were still restrained as previously. Uriko shrieked in pain when the flames continued traveling around her form, especially focused in the lower areas, and a singed smell of burnt hair emitted from the apex between her thighs.

"AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!"

She writhed and twisted, futilely attempting the escape the scorching sensation, but the feeling kept haunting and plaguing her nerves. Her skin screamed in-sync with her raw cries, and the girl felt her eyes water, and her tears began to stain the black material covering her sight. The moments of torture continued dragging on endlessly, and Uriko could not fight back the sobs that shook her slender form, wishing that death would come and claim her at second. At least then she would have an easier ending, and could be free of the hideous flames that engulfed her being and was burning her alive.

"H-help me!! Someone!! Urgh…!! If you want to-to kill me, use a-a more painless way!!" She ground out between gritted teeth, screeching in surprise and relief when the fiery torment was doused out with cool water that both tingled and shot jolts of pain into her body.

"Shhh… darling, this is necessary…" the same low voice from before spoke up, making her cringe in fear. "The initial had passed earlier, and you are not in pain any longer, yes…? This is the next part, my princess; I understand you are hurting now, but we must proceed with this to regain the goodness that was stolen away from you. You have been brutally ripped from your world of innocence, and forced to be a woman without your consent. But do not shed tears of sadness or remorse, my love, for we will purify you, bring back the youthful girl inside, and _properly _introduce you to womanhood."

"You… you're a monster…" She whispered hoarsely, guessing that the more sass she gave her torturer, the more she would suffer, but at this point, she no longer cared about, or wanted to be submissive. "I-I don't know who you are… but when I find out, I'll make you pay…! You have… you have no idea what kind of person you are messing with… I have powers that will… that will make you scream as you bleed to… to the brink of death, and then I will claw your eyeballs out of your head…"

"Tsk, tsk," a light chuckle of amusement drifted into her ears. "Such a feisty one you are, unafraid to speak your mind, which is all the more fitting to be my lovely, adoring princess, my beautiful bride-to-be. I do wonder which beast form you possess by the zoanthrope powers that you have been blessed with, as selected others also have."

Uriko was stunned into silence, and her mouth fell slightly agape. _Th-this person… knows… that I'm a zoanthrope…?_

"Hmm, you spoke of claws, so I will presume that you must be a most ferocious animal, am I right? A member of the feline family, perhaps, or you may be one of the older, predator-type species of canine. However, you are drenched in feminine beauty, so you have to be a delicate creature, yet dangerous at the same time, like a lovely rose newly bloomed in the spring."

Throughout the analysis, she kept shaking her head, denying what was happening, unwilling to accept the possibility that she would never be able to return home. _I…I have to get out of here…_ The sixteen-year-old tested her strength by tugging against the ropes that bound her arms to a thick wooden structure, and she found that a bit of her energy had managed to surface. Still, she did not have enough power to break free, and she crumpled in sorrow, knowing that more time had to pass before she could attempt her escape to freedom. The estranged mumbling of the person that was speculating on her beast form drifted right through her ears, and she paid no attention to the senseless babble.

"Now!" The voice exclaimed all of a sudden, breaking her train of thought. "We must continue with the process. I apologize, my love, you will have to endure the purification a bit longer, but rest assured that we are almost finished with this part of the ritual. Afterwards, you will be able to experience the rapture of entering womanhood with your destined soul mate, rather than suffering the knowledge that you were taken advantage of by that unworthy scoundrel."

"What-urrrrrggghhh!!" Uriko could not get out her question before the fire started up again, and began to scorch her sensitive nerves, bringing back the previous feeling of torture. Her body tingled with perspiration, and she could faintly feel the braid of her long brown hair hovered around her rear, pressed into the small of her back. There was no hunger that ate away at her stomach, and she presumed that she had already eaten, although that did not compensate for what she was being put through presently. The feline zoanthrope threw her head back in instinct, and screamed her pain and anguish as the lingering hours passed by, and the last remnants of the night slipped into the early inklings of dawn.

* * *

"Ermmph…" Kenji shuffled in his sleep, and grimaced subconsciously, his arm raising to sling over his eyes when brightness shone through his lids, pricking his senses. Scratchy cloth that covered his body irked his bare skin, and when he shifted his position, he felt the material scraped against his sensitive male organ, which elicited a groan of discomfort from his throat. A silent command urged for him to awaken and see his current location, so his eyes blinked slightly, and he tried to open them to obey. Light brown irises wavered before finally beginning to focus on the surroundings, and he lifted his head to get a better look, flinching when a pang of numbness surged into his body.

"Oh, mother, he is waking up!" A soft voice exclaimed from somewhere in the same room as the cobalt-haired teenager was residing in, and he recoiled, briefly pausing from his action of sitting up.

"Wh-who…?" he mumbled confusedly, turning to glance to the side and squinting to get a clearer look at the speaker.

"Are you all right?" came the concerned inquiry. A cool palm pressed against his forehead, and he immediately grabbed for the coarse sheet that covered his body, holding it securely to his naked chest.

"Who…who's there??" Kenji murmured in question, brushing the hand away from his face and averting his eyes to peer at the youthful girl that was standing before him. Her bright green irises flashed at him, as if intently intrigued with his presence, and a look of compassion was displayed over her dark facial features. She donned a modest beige gown that clothed and hid the aspects of her form, and when she leaned toward him, long locks of her curly black hair brushed across the tip of his nose. He instantly moved back, and hastily sat on his bottom, gazing at the female curiously, wondering how he ended up where he was right then. "…? You are…?"

"You're awake!" she beamed a wide smile at him. "Oh, how my mama and I worried about your health, stranger. By the state your condition was in when I found you, we both thought you might have been attacked by those wild beasts in the desert, near the oasis outside of our town! What happened to you, young traveler?"

"…I'm no longer sure," he admitted, and scratched the back of his head in an instinctive action. "Uh… thank you for trusting and helping me earlier. I-I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't brought me into your home. Huh, I probably would have gotten robbed, or even worse." He sighed at how foolish he had been in not taking caution and instead acting recklessly in the foreign environment.

She covered her mouth with one hand, giggling lightheartedly before offering, "My name is Milyna Ishkat. What's your name? You don't look like you're from around here, either. Are you on vacation?"

"Err, a vacation?" The ninja coughed and glanced off to the side. "…In a way, I suppose. No, I'm not from around here; I live in Japan. And also, you can call me Kenji. If you don't mind my asking, Milyna," he lifted the blanket and peered underneath, his motion confirming his suspicions that he was nude. "…Why am I undressed?"

"Your clothes were - forgive me for saying this," Milyna Ishkat blushed faintly, "filthy, so my mother stripped your outfit off to clean them, and then put you in this room to let you rest."

"Ah." His cheeks flushed slightly at the thought of his naked body being exposed to complete strangers. "U-um, thank you once again, I'm very grateful for what you and your mother have done for me. I'll be up and out of your way soon enough, rest assured," he swung his legs over the edge of the cot, cautiously keeping the sheet covering from his waist down, leaving his chest bared to any curious eyes.

"Oh, don't worry, you're not imposing on us or anything like that," she smiled graciously. "Stay as long as you need, take your time to recover so that you can conserve all your strength, all right? I'll go into the kitchen and bring you a breakfast tray."

_…It's morning already? Damn it, I slept too long! I have to leave now and continue searching for Uriko. _He shook his head and started to hold up a hand, "You don't have to-"

"Why, of course I do!" Milyna shot him a matter-of-fact look before turning around and heading out the door of the small room, her voice trailing away as she added as a final note, "You're the guest."

Sighing heavily, Kenji lowered his arm and wrapped the thin blanket around his body more tightly, silently planning to leave the residence as soon as he retrieved his clean clothing. He glanced at his surroundings, getting no distinct or negative feeling from the environment, but just the same, he wanted to leave and pursue the search of his friend. But his conscience nagged him to not be rude, and offer some sort of assistance to the Indian girl and her mother in return for their taking him into their home. All he could do for the time being was stay put, and wait for the right moment to make his exit, hopefully escaping before it was too late and the trail of his zoanthrope compatriot ran cold.


	27. Loss

****

Loss

_If I see another basket, I swear I will go crazy…_ Kenji thought agitatedly as he viciously stabbed the thin strip through a tangle of others that were etched together in a pattern.

It became apparent to him that weaving baskets were Milyna and her mother's business here in their village; he had discovered so earlier in the day sometime after breakfast. She had brought him his food that morning, along with his cleaned clothing; he wandered into the living room with the breakfast tray in his hands when he finished eating, and saw the teenage girl stranding wooden lengths, forming them into a bowl-type shape. The ninja inquired about what she was doing, and when he was informed of the purpose, he had offered his assistance in helping with the production. As he sat down next to her and made baskets, precious hours slipped by, occupied with his busy hands, and the constant, enthusiastic chattering of his young Indian host.

She proceeded to tell him many things about her life, but he found it hard to concentrate on what she was saying, as he constantly worried about the current condition of his friend. Time was very important in this pursuit of his, and if he did not find some way to leave soon, retrieving Uriko might become an impossible task. The mole zoanthrope wondered if Milyna knew the location of the palace belonging to the prince that he had been referred to the previous day. Throughout his brooding, his companion did not seem to notice his distraught mood, and continued to talk to him as if he were the most fascinating person that had ever graced her presence.

The dark-haired youth regarded her guest with curiosity, and crooked her head to the side slightly when she spotted a distant look in his glazed brown eyes. It was obvious to her that something distracted him, plagued his thoughts, and would not relent or release its deeply-sank claws from his mind. Kenji was certainly the handsomest boy her age that had she had ever met; his blue-shaded tress made him look unique, and an inward inquiry wondered if he was already claimed to another. His kind and generous spirit intrigued her, and the way gentleness laced his tone made her become more interested in finding out about this mysterious wanderer.

Unfortunately, he had not freely offered any information, and did not even give her a clear answer on the reason why he was in India, so far away from home. She refused to believe that the young man was vacationing, as he showed no signs of visiting any of the tourist areas, where people had usually gone to before in previous occasions. What an enigma she had stumbled upon, but the girl was determined to have him stay at her house longer, so that she could get to know him better. Mysteries always allured her attention, although this one completely hooked her, as it came with a lean and very enticing figure with part of the package.

"Excuse me, Milyna," Kenji politely interrupted her on-rush of talking just then, setting down the basket that he had just finished making to glance at the other teenager. "Would you happen to know where… a palace may be, around here? I…got information from a resident somewhere, and was directed to this village, which is supposedly the closest populated location to the palace."

_The prince's palace…? _She quirkeda brow and pondered. _Hmmm, perhaps Kenji is a tourist if he wants to go there…_ "Yes, I do know where it is," she answered with a nod of confirmation.

He almost leaped up from his chair with elation. "Would you mind please telling me where it is?! I…I have been wanting to venture there ever since I arrived."

A perplexed crossed her face, but she complied and gave him the directions, even writing them down on a piece of paper and handing it to him just in case he forgot a crucial part while traveling over to the location. Disappointment aligned her features when the cobalt-haired male arose from his seat and told her that he had to leave right away to go to the palace. He gave her a hesitant smile, and voiced words of gratitude, wishing she and her mother luck in their business and lives, then tipped his head in a formal motion. Milyna hid the melancholy inside her as she walked him out the entrance of her house, and did not allow her shoulders to sag in sorrow until his back turned, and his retreating figure disappeared from her sight.

__

Come back when you are done visiting the palace, sweet traveler… she thought wistfully, clutching her hand to her chest as she stepped into her residence and shut the door behind her.

*****

"Wake up, darling… You must be aroused from your sleep…"

Uriko moaned softly and shook her head, refusing the request, which prompted the speaker to pursue, "Your wounds are being healed as of this very moment… Soon, your energy will be fully restored, and you will feel as if nothing had changed from before."

_How can I ever forget the hell that happened to me…_ she questioned in silent rhetoric, reluctantly sliding her eyes open partially, expecting to see nothing but blackness in her view. To her surprise, her sight revealed the shadowy aspects of a room, the source of dim light coming only from the many candles that dotted around. The vicinity was very plain and did little to attract her attention for long, with nothing but a mere seat, and a table with a slender object resting on it, lingering in the area. Her eyebrows rose in surprise when she saw that the walls were painted a strange coat of shimmering gold, and a familiar feeling irked at her senses.

Finally, she turned her head to look at the person standing just a few feet away from her, and was disappointed to spot the golden garbs that concealed his or her identity. There was a piece of cloth that hid all of the face, save for the very top of the nose, and anywhere up from that point, until the upper portion that covered part of the forehead. The narrow shape of the figure, accompanied with the gentle yellow eyes that gazed directly at her made the Kenpo student presume the gender of the other bystander to be female. But she did not know any women that would want something from her, and while she was thinking about why she had been brought to the present location, her mysterious companion spoke, and proved her assumption wrong.

The voice being emitted was deep and louder, unlike its formerly quiet state, and undoubtedly sounded masculine; he stepped foreword while talking, and presented the feline with a cup. "Drink this. The herbs mixed into the liquid will quicken your recovery."

Now that her nerves had feeling in them again, she realized that the area between her thighs was soothingly warm, and her legs lost the previous burning sensation. She did not trust the other person about the drink, certain that it would be hazardous to her health, and turned her head away from the offer, silently refusing him. He elicited a low noise of slight irritation, and nudged her mouth with the lip of the cup, trying to slip the contents down past her barrier and force her to consume them. When Uriko still resisted, he finally growled aloud and brought his free hand to her throat, making her choke and gag, while her lips flew apart in reflex.

"This is for your own good, my sweet." He insisted, and dumped the thick brown liquid into her mouth, then covered her with his palm to insure that she would not spit it out. "When you start to feel drowsy, then it means the medicine has begun to take effect; soon enough, you will return to your full strength, and no longer be hindered."

"Wh-what did you do to me…?" she whispered almost inaudibly, not wanting to waste her breath on this stranger, but she had to speak to this stranger in order to have her questions answered.

"Nothing, princess," came his soft, patient reply. "In fact, I helped you. Only purity rests inside you now. The evil seed spawned within your body has been decimated, and all remnants of his presence should be gone, you need not to be reminded of his treachery."

"You…you're not making any sense…"

"Ahh, my sweet angel," he tsked and shook his golden-covered head. "I did not realize that he manipulated your mind as well, although perhaps I should have known, since he had to bewitch you in order to take advantage you. But then again, he might have used more… forced, and painful tactics to attain what he wanted from you."

"Huh, I know you must suffer inside, my love." Eerie-colored yellow irises gazed at her intently. "If only I had been able to convince you sooner to come with me, you might not have had to endure such an act of atrocity. I knew that you should not have trusted such a scoundrel, but you, your beautiful, forgiving heart, allowed him into the secure sanctuary of your being."

"What do you mean by that…?!" the Kenpo student demanded, raising her volume up a notch in frustration. "You keep saying things about some… some person, and his wrong-doings to me… but… but I don't understand _what the hell you're talking about_!"

"Oh, I suppose I must use loose and vulgar terms to clearly explain to you what was going on…" There was a movement in the material that covered his face, and she presumed that he had wrinkled his nose in distaste at the statement he made. "His seed of malice spewed his evil essence within your belly, and left you with a growing child. If the situation had waited until not much later to be discovered, you would have been burdened with the remembrance of his vile being."

Her mouth fell agape at his words, and she was stunned into silence as the information was being absorbed into her frozen, dazed mind.

Barely noticing her distress, he continued, "But, fortunately, I gave you a medicine that was able to force his developing offspring out of your body with very quick results. Just hours after you consumed the necessary elixir, the seed began to crumble its shape, and every last bit of his nefarious deed slipped away into non-existence. You are cured now, darling. There is no need to waste any moments of your anxiety worrying about having to mother a bastard child come nine months from now."

_I… I…_ The shock settled and registered in the feline's consciousness, and numerous thoughts ran through her head, with the primary topic being that there had actually been a baby growing inside her just twenty-four years before. _I… was… pregnant…? Oh…my…God… And with… with Kenji's child… Our… we… we had a child together…_ Tears of resignation pricked at her eyes, and she shrank back, her fingers curling into loose fists as she leaned more intently into the wooden structure that pressed against her back. _Oh, Kenji… just that one night… we…we didn't use protection, did we… just that one night we shared together, and… and there was… a baby…_

The male bystander nodded his understanding. "It is all right, my sweet, please do not shed your precious tears over that lowly peasant, he is not worth even a morsel of your sorrow. Everything has been taken care of now, and soon, you will be swept up in the affairs of our kingdom, and forget what our horrible adversary had done to you."

"What do you mean…_our_…kingdom…?" She inquired weakly as a wave of fatigue washed over her nerves, making her eyes blink tiredly and perspiration form a thin sheen of sweat across her forehead.

"You are to be my queen, of course!" He told her matter-of-factly, sweeping his arm up in a graceful arc to emphasis his statement. "I have been seeking a wife to be by my side since the day my… parents had left this realm under my control," a dark shadow grazed his expression for a brief moment, then disappeared, "we will run this country together."

She shook her head feebly. "No… that's impossible, I'm too young to be married. I have school, I have friends, family to be with; my life is in Japan, I can't live here to… to run a kingdom…!" _Especially not with a demented psycho like you…!_ The girl finished the sentence silently in her mind.

"Mmm, it is good to see you eager to absorb more knowledge. And since you only have one more year to complete your period of high school, you can do so here," he informed her with a satisfied tone in his voice.

Uriko was flabbergasted and a bit nervous at how confident he seemed, how he had found a loophole to her complaints, and that made her want to leave all the more sooner. "And what about-?!"

"College is not necessary to run this country, but if you wish, we could hire private tutors if you want to further extend the cluster of information stored in your mind." The stranger laughed smoothly. "Quite an inquisitive attitude you possess, my dear. You and I, together with our strengths, will leave nothing but the best for our children."

_Our children?! Get real!!_ Fury inhibited the female zoanthrope, and she struggled against her binds, almost leaping at the male standing just a short distance away from her.

The sixteen-year-old wanted to claw his eyes out for making such ridiculous assumptions that she would even want to stay with him, let alone bare his children to boot. Weariness made her head start to droop, but fiery determination fueled her to full awareness, and she allowed her emotions to explode as she spat the words in his face. "Let me **go**!!" she screamed angrily, trying to wrench her wrists out of the ropes tied around them that held her to the wooden stand behind her. "I'll _never_ stay here with you, ever!! I'm going home! I'm not going to give up _everything_ just so you can be selfish and use me for your **stupid** plans!!"

"The herbs must be affecting your state of mind right now," he spoke calmly, shaking his head in pity, completely ignoring her ranting. "You must be growing tired by now, my sweet. Do not worry, this temporary boost will not be installed with you for long. You will be back to normal when you awaken, and then we can make plans for our future." The enigmatic figure pressed his fingers to his lips, and blew her a kiss before turning around and proceeding to exit the room. "Sleep well, princess."

"You _bastard!!_" She retorted to his retreating form, disregarding the pain of the coarse ropes rubbing against her wrists as she kept trying to tug herself free of the binds, and then finally hollered in frustration, "_Urrrrgggghhhh!!!"_

The fight escaping from her spirit, Uriko unwillingly loosened her body of its tension and energy, and her stance collapsed, leaving her hanging by just the tied cordage imprisoning her arms. Frustrated and remorseful tears filled her eyes, and she did nothing to stop them from spilling over and sliding down the smooth surface of her cheeks. Her mind became jumbled and confused, making her feel lethargic, presumably due to the effects of the healing herbs that she was forced to consume earlier. Alone in the darkly lit room, she yearned to be with Kenji, and trembled as she cried for the loss of their child, wept for the innocent life that been severed due to the insanity of the ruler that wanted her for his bride.

*****

"A-Augh…"

The ninja groaned in discomfort as a sudden jolt sliced into his nerves out of nowhere, and he had to stop from walking, and bent down near the ground to tend to his chest, which had begun to ache. His head pounded insistently, and he gritted his teeth in effort to reign control over the pain that was spreading over his body, and numbing his nerves. A silent cry sounded in his mind, and he could faintly recognize it, his initiative emotions screaming at him and claiming that it was his friend calling out in distress. He could almost _feel_ the pain that his zoanthrope compatriot must have been enduring at that moment and the male youth instantly arose from his crouching position at the realization.

"Uriko…" he breathed quietly, closing his eyes and allowing his senses to absorb the ongoing presence of his surroundings. Just seconds ago, he had been aimlessly wandering and circling around a large, stone white palace that he reached thanks to direction from Milyna. But due to the fact that the building was so huge and he did not know which section his friend was in, he dared not venture inside until he got an inkling of where to go. And now seemed like the right opportunity had been presented to him, and he felt more confident about going into the palace and exploring in the right area. "You are near…"

There were no entrances leading into what Kenji felt was the correct place to go to, but as he looked up, he spotted a window located up high in the side of the palace. His eyebrows raised in amusement at his discovery, and he quickly glanced about the area to make sure that no one was in viewing range to witness what he was about to do. He saw guards posted around the main double doors that led into the building, and of course, he was not foolish enough to try to enter through that way. Other forces patrolled the vicinity of the palace, and he had to be careful to avoid them, using his skilled ninja techniques of stealth to hide from their watchful eyes.

Inhaling a deep breath, Kenji bent to his knees, and sprang up from them with his lean legs, his muscles straining as he pushed them to keep going until he reached the window. The wind rushed past his face, breezing through his dark blue hair as he ascended higher and higher, and when he felt his elevating edge losing, his hands extended to grab a hold of an edge somewhere to secure his hold. He grabbed onto the ledge that protruded from the window's lip, and hooked his feet into the small crooks that were embedded into the stone structure. Laying the majority of his body weight on the curve of the building, he focused on partially morphing until his claws elongated from his fingertips.

He pressed the sharp tips against the surface of the window, and scratched a hole large enough to fit his form into it before making his hands revert back to their original state. Carefully, the mole zoanthrope popped the circular shape inwardly and as it descended toward the ground inside the palace, he immediately dived after it and landed on silent feet before the object did, grabbing it in his grasp. The teenager set the round glass onto the floor, and peered at his new surroundings, whipping his head around to look for any guards that might have been roaming the halls at that moment. Seeing no one, he straightened his posture, and began to stroll about the place, quietly proceeding down the walkway, spying many doors aligned that led to other rooms.

_Which one are you in, Uriko…_ Kenji wondered inwardly as he continued along the path, staring blankly at the numerous tall wooden structures that served as entrances. He felt slightly ridiculous wandering the vicinity timidly in his navy blue uniform, as if he were a nervous schoolboy visiting the place for the first time on some sort of class field trip. A cold air swirled around his figure, bringing him a feeling of chilly apprehension, and he turned his head, then dodged out of the way of a sword that suddenly came swinging in his direction. Growling in annoyance, the sixteen-year-old smirked when the guard overshot his assault, and stumbled a bit, then fell to the floor.

Before his attacker could stand up again and try another attack, Kenji leapt onto his body and struck at the back of his neck with his fingers, hitting a spot that he knew from his Ninjutsu training would knock the man unconscious. Sure enough, his attempt proved successful, and the figure underneath him went still; arising from his crouched position, the young fighter calmly brushed off his shoulders. Standing up, he left the guard lying on the ground, and continued venturing down the hallway, glancing at the doors while wondering which one led to his friend. He shut his eyes and allowed his other senses to become more aware, and his ears very faintly picked up the sound of something very softly rustling against the floor.

_Uriko…_ _is that you…? _His eyelids springing up open, Kenji's head snapped toward one of the doors on the right that was a couple of yards away from his current location, and he gingerly headed for it. He made sure that his senses were fully alert and he gripped a fist in preparation just in case another battle awaited him behind the lengthy structure. Stiffening his shoulders, he tried to keep his body from tensing up as he kept walking over to the selected door that he had zeroed out on. Reaching his destination, he encircled the knob with his hand, and silently hoped he had found the right entrance as he pushed the wooden frame in an inward motion to reveal the room that it hid.


	28. Reunion

****

Reunion

The ninja stood in the doorway, and froze at the first thing that he took notice of; the battered person slouched over before his eyes could not possibly be his friend. The hair color was a familiar brown shade, and the lengthy bangs that dangled along with the long braid curving around a slender waist caught his attention. He tentatively stepped forward, taking note of the other aspects, such as the way the girl had her head down, and he quirked a brow at her strange attire of a white robe-like outfit. Her arms were poised straight up behind her, with hoards of coarse tan rope that bound her wrists up to a wooden structure that he presumed pressed against her back, and the same effect was done to her ankles.

He paid no heed to the features of the small room that he had stepped in, only focusing on the imprisoned, and possibly unconscious female. She was not even standing upright, as her legs appeared limp and were bent at the knees, so that anything below that point scraped the cold hard floor as her lower body swayed listlessly. Her single article of clothing bared parts of her arms and thighs, and the skin he could see was pale, as if she had been neglected from the sun too long. Fighting back the urge to grimace, Kenji proceeded toward the deprived victim until he was right in front of her, cringing as he raised his hands, reaching to untie her binds. 

The girl stirred when his fingers touched her wrists, and weakly lifted her head, summoning her strength to murmur, "You finally… decided to… let me go…?"

He glanced down at her face, and was relieved to recognize his friend, but almost lost his composure when he spied the irate but soulless look in her shadowy pupils. "U-Uriko…" he choked, freezing his movement in shock at her exanimate appearance.

"Are you… are you happy now…?" she whispered raggedly, then all of a suddenly spat at him, the saliva splaying onto the tip of his nose. The mole zoanthrope jumped back in surprise, letting go of the ropes at her wrists in reflex while she continued to rant in anger. "You… you made me lose… everything…! F-first my freedom… then my life… my home… and now the only… the only reminder I have of my friend…" Her head drooped once again. "You… you deserve… to go to hell… That's where… you belong… you, you horrible monster…"

"My God…" Kenji breathed in unpleasantly stunned wonder, and cautiously inched his way toward her, his brows crinkling in concern as he inquired softly, "Uriko… who did this to you…?"

"Wh…what…?" The feline peered up at his face, and silently studied him for a moment, her eyes seeming to take a while until she could focus on his features. After the period, she asked dubiously, "Kenji…? Is that… is that really you…?"

"Yes, it's me," the ninja assured her hurriedly, and when a shudder rippled through his body, he lurched forward and leaned his cheek into the girl's bosom, while carefully wrapping his arms around her delicate form. "I-I'm sorry, I'm so sorry… Damn it, I should have come earlier… If-if I had known what hell you were going to be put through…" Wetness began to form in his eyes, but he blinked them back, not wanting his companion to notice his current distress for her. "Uriko, please… don't hate me…"

"But… but how…?" Uriko questioned, bewilderment aligning her expression. "How… did you know?"

"I was heading to your house after school yesterday," he started explaining, retracting his head from her chest and glancing up to look at her. "I saw someone putting you in a car, so I followed it to the airport, where you were carried off to a flight, and I bought a ticket also to pursue whoever had kidnapped you."

"That… that was pure luck," she murmured gratefully, "If… if you hadn't seen me being abducted…"

"Shh! Don't be speaking of the would-be negative outcomes right now!" Kenji insisted forcefully as he arose into a standing position and went to work on untying the ropes binding her wrists to the structure behind her back. "We're not staying here a single second longer than necessary; I'm getting you out of this hellish place."

"Kenji…" the auburn-haired female spoke serenely, a hint of a fighter's pride in her voice. "You do know… that I could have… escaped this hellhole… by myself… right?"

"Of course," he agreed gently, freeing her arms from their hold, and bent down to do the same to her ankles, "But I like to think that I am of some use to my friend. What honor and dignity could I have if I didn't hold true to my promise to you?"

"Uhhh…" she moaned when an attempt to stretch out her legs and walk failed, and she fell into the ninja's arms, who had just straightened up. Slight blush creeped up in her cheeks, and she ducked her head in shyness, yet he showed no signs of embarrassment, and in fact tightened his hold on her. A grateful smile formed over her lips but Uriko tried to stand and fend for herself, and stumbled after managing a few steps, which caused a groan of annoyance at her own incompetence to escape her throat. Her friend kept silent and patiently waited for her to finish her experiment, and when she peered at him pleadingly, he nodded in understanding and went to help.

"I feel like a handicap…" the feline mumbled distastefully as Kenji was taking her arm and slinging it over his shoulders, then slid his hand around her waist, cupping her side to further support her body.

"You shouldn't," he replied casually, and began to slowly proceed toward the door, "See? You can still walk, at least, just with a little bit of assistance. I don't have to carry you on my back or anything."

"Hah, I wouldn't let you!" she giggled at the thought, but winced when her action caused a bit of pain in her chest, which made her companion stop in his tracks. "Ugh… that drug made me so weak… I wish I had enough energy to morph so I could heal faster…"

He growled at the concept of his friend being drugged, but then hid his disgust and shook his head at her proposal as they started walking again. "If you try to morph when you're too weak, it's a bad idea anyway. You will be feeling worse if you suddenly engage into a battle while in beast form when you're in such a vulnerable state."

"Whom are we going to fight here?" she deadpanned.

"Our escape seems far too easy," Kenji prophesized ominously, his eyes searching all around the hallway when the two stepped out of the room. "I doubt we're going to get away without a single encounter with the…the snot-nosed bastard that put you into your current distress."

"Still shy about swearing, huh?" the Kenpo student glanced at him curiously, a small smile on her face.

"Profanity is not a necessity." He told her matter-of-factly, then turned in the left direction to go onward. "My brother curses as much as he breathes, and of course, Alice disapproves of it, and scolds him daily, but it's as if her words just go in one ear, and out the other. He never learns."

"Oh, man…" Uriko gasped when she lifted her head up a little and saw the all-too-perfectly-made hole in the glass window in the ceiling, and her gaze fell onto the circular shape on the floor afterwards. "_Someone_ is gonna be a glass sculptor, it seems…" she grinned at her friend. "You did that, didn't you?"

"Yes," he nodded, unabashed by his previous action. "I believe very much so that the owner of this palace has more than enough money to repair a single window."

"Yeah, I think so too," she agreed, glancing at the numerous doors warily as the pair traveled leisurely down the hall. "This could be a darned hotel or something with all these rooms around…"

"Look!" Kenji gestured his head at what he noticed a distance away from their position. "Double doors over there. It's probably an exit."

"You think so?" the auburn-haired girl asked dubiously, but then shrugged. "Well, I haven't exactly been given a tour of this place, so I'll just go with what you say."

"What…exactly…happened to you…?" he inquired gently, slowing his pace to turn his head and glance at her expression to see her reaction. "All I know is that you were drugged. Did… did they do anything else to you?"

She choked on a sob, and buried her face into his shoulder, murmuring so lowly that he had to strain to hear her, "This isn't the right time or place to bring up bad memories… I-I'll tell you later, okay…?"

"…All right," he responded, respecting her decision and continuing to head for the double doors that was his destination. "I…I'm just concerned about you, that's all. You wouldn't believe how freaked out I went when I saw you being taken away in that car back at home…"

"H-home…" Uriko sniffled at the familiarity that had seemed so out of her reach earlier, and sobbed her deepest wish at that moment, "I…I wanna go home." Tears began to blur her vision, and she angrily squeezed the wet drops out of her eyes, dampening the upper sleeve of her friend's navy blue outfit.

"Do you… have a spare uniform at your house?" he inquired, remembering that was what she had been wearing when she was abducted. "For when we go back to school tomorrow, I mean."

She lifted her head from the crook she was snuggled in, and nodded slightly. "Yeah, I have a spare, fortunately."

"Oh, we're here," Kenji announced gratefully, and grabbed the golden knob that matched the color of the door. "Come on, we're getting out of this godforsaken hellhole."

"Let's," the feline complied eagerly, for once feeling like she was tasting freedom within her grasp; she hesitated for a second, and spoke up, "Kenji, wait."

He peered at her, curiosity marring his brows at her action of stopping when they were so close to leaving the place. "Yes? Is something wrong?"

"I…I just wanted to say thank you, for coming here, so far away from home, to take me out, and bring me back," she murmured softly, her chocolate brown eyes shining appreciatively at him, which had again started to mist with tears. "Th-thank you so much…"

Kenji smiled and leaned his face toward her to gently press his cheek against hers. "It's not a problem. You don't deserve to be stuck in such a horrible place as this one here. Trust me, if I knew the person that did this to you, I would tear his eyes out with my claws…" A vengeful, sinister gleam shimmered in his darkened pupils. _Make him bleed, hear him scream in pain, have him suffer for what horrible things he did to my Uriko…I mean, my friend. _ A malicious laughing voice danced in his head, urging him on.

She grimaced at the thought, a queasy feeling disturbing her stomach even though she knew that if given the opportunity, she would do the same herself. "Ick… Please, let's just forget about him for the time being and get outta here… I don't want to stay anymore, I just want to go home…"

"All right, I'm sorry," he apologized, shaking the evil mental pictures of torturous revenge out of his mind, and he calmed his anger down to a dull, neutral feeling. The ninja straightened his position, and reached for the knob again, this time, pushing the door inward, and guiding his friend into the new vicinity.

_…What the hell kind of a place is this?_ Kenji blinked in surprise at the unusual aspects of the room that they stepped in; the first things that caught his eye were the various lengths of sheathed swords that aligned the left wall. Heavy silver and golden armoire was scattered around the corners, and the stiff, inanimate soldiers all held double-headed axes in their frozen grips. Drawings of battling warriors designed the walls, and he assumed this weapons room was where many fights had taken place, as faint spots of browned stains dotted the floor. He wrinkled his nose in distaste at the theme, and turned to his friend, shaking his head, silently suggesting that they get out of there as quickly as possible.

"Good idea…" she whispered quietly, as if someone were around to hear her words. The duo turned around, and headed back toward the entrance that had first led them into the place, but stopped in their tracks when they saw the doors in the process of being closed. A loud click signaled they were locked in, and Uriko released a small whimper, but then wiped all traces of fear from her face, not wanting to expose any emotions that would betray what she was feeling at the moment. Next to her, the cobalt-haired teenager muttered a choice word under his breath, and holding onto his friend carefully, he headed for the doors anyway.

"Do not even bother trying. There is no escape."

The pair froze at the new voice that had made its debut, and they simultaneously pivoted to face the speaker, warily peering at the chair that sat in the middle of the room, up near the front. Kenji gripped his companion possessively, and narrowed his eyes at the furniture that slowly began to turn, taking all the time in the world before revealing the seated person. When the chair stopped revolving, a figure that donned golden garbs laughed mockingly at the two friends, and Uriko stiffened, recognizing her manipulator. The ninja gazed at her in concern at her frozen posture, wondering if this was the same bastard that had tortured and plagued her mind, made her shiver in dismay.

"Oh, Uriko, are you leaving so soon?" the softly spoken voice inquired, sounding amused. "Tsk, tsk, I was hoping you would stay and be my queen, and we would rule this kingdom together, like I had proposed to you earlier."

_This guy and his freaking obsession with gold… _Kenji shot a cold glare in the antagonist's direction. "So you are the rotten ass of a prince that went to Japan and abducted my friend to force her into being 'your new bride'!"

"Huh, my, you sure are clever and deductive," the mysterious figure said wryly, expressing a yawn to show that he could care less about the male zoanthrope's presence. "A clever, deductive, little worthless meddling peasant! You dare try to disrupt my marriage by attempting to run off with my future lady-to-be?! You will be severely punished for such treason."

"Shut the hell up." The ninja snarled, tightening his hold on the girl beside him. "She's not yours for the taking; she's a person with feelings, thoughts, emotions, and she can make her own choices, and is not a piece of possession you can add to your collection of trophies."

"She is my wife," the golden-clothed person informed matter-of-factly, arising from his chair to look down at the two. "Uriko **will** stay here and wed to me, and we she will rule by my side as my queen. You, however, will be exited from my palace at once, and you will never be permitted to enter this vicinity for the rest of your days."

"Wrong," Kenji sneered knowingly. "We're getting out of here, and there's nothing you can do to stop us. You're nothing - which is what we think of you. You have no power or authority over us, and cannot prevent us from taking our leave, and achieving our freedom."

"I tire of your sass, young scoundrel! Learn your place, and show respect to a member of the royal family when he is standing before you!" The prince hissed at the sixteen-year-old male.

"On the contrary, I think that you have to learn your place, _your Highness_," he replied mockingly. "I already know mine."

Uriko observed the two young men during their crossfire of exchanging insults, and all the while she was trying to find out the identity of her kidnapper. Why would he target her, out of so many people in Japan, and with numerous possibilities, single her to be his bride? Did he know her from somewhere, or was it really chance that he had discovered her walking home the day before, and just decided to pick her up? But by initiative feeling, she was sure that they had crossed paths prior to the abduction, and strained herself to reveal whom he was, wanting to know the person that kidnapped her from her home.

"Who are you…?" she spoke up, her first words in a long time. "You… you knew my name when I hadn't told you, so you know _me_. Where? How? Just who on earth are you??"

"Ahh, you are sharp, as you overlook nothing, my darling Uriko," the enigmatic figure seemed pleased. "Yes, you are correct, I do know you. In fact, you know me as well. We have been well acquainted for quite a period of time - a little over a month, if I recall correctly."

"_Who are you_?!" she questioned shrilly, her clenched fist quivering in anger. Kenji gently squeezed the side of her waist in assurance, and moved in to press his cheek against hers once again like before, in an act of comfort.

The prince seethed at the interactive contact, and become more visibly agitated when she did not move away from her companion. "Do you remember whom you abandoned the night of the social event at school, referred to as the prom? The person that took precious time in preparation to bring you there, ignoring the warnings of his guardian, obeyed your every command upon the arrival, listened and complied to your every wish at the prom?"

She froze at his words, and her mouth fell agape at the pieces of the puzzle that aligned themselves in the right position inside her mind. "No… I-it can't be… You…you're…?" 

"You have forgotten my name as well, now?!" He demanded, taking a menacing, threatening step toward the two friends, raising one hand to emphasis his anger. "You led me on, didn't you, wench! Are you nothing more than a typical sidewalk tease?! You used me!!"

"Shut your damn mouth before I grind my fist into it!" Kenji shouted, upset that his friend was being verbally assaulted. "How dare you talk to Uriko that way! I ought to beat you into the wall for abusing her!!"

"You had best stay out of this, Kenji Ohgami! This is between myself, and the lady!" The prince growled, and without warning, he lurched toward Uriko with a wild gleam in his eerie yellow eyes, trying to snatch her into his grasp.

The dark-haired ninja reflexively moved to the side, dodging the attempt, keeping a secure hold on his zoanthrope compatriot as she yelped out in surprise at his action. Her kidnapper fell to the floor, and immediately sprang up into a standing position with his fists stiffly poised at chest level, his ire reflecting in his shady pupils. Kenji glared back just as coldly, determined not to let him take his friend away once more, and tucked her behind him, shielding her body with his own protectively. All of a sudden, the prince burst out laughing, stunning both of the younger teenagers, and they contemplated whether or not he had another devious scheme plotted out for them.

"How delicious this is!" he exclaimed, fixating an amused look in the ninja's direction. "I have realized why you are so insistent on taking my future bride out of my palace and ushering her back to your hometown: you have fallen in love with her! Oh, this is _beyond_ entertaining; it is downright comical that such a lowly peasant as yourself would think that you could actually have a chance with a goddess!"

Kenji shook his head vigorously, ignoring the faint ache hammering in his chest. "Keep your wayward assumptions to yourself, you arrogant bastard! Of course someone so conceited and high-strung like you would never comprehend the concept of friendship! You could never understand why some people would perform conscientious acts for those that they care about, because you don't care for anyone but your own damn self! That's why you had to **kidnap** my friend Uriko, and try to force her against her will into being your bride, because you can't get a wife in the normal fashion!"

"Hold your tongue, lowly maggot!!" The prince retorted, furious with the resistance and backlash being shown. "When you stop cowardly hiding behind my wife, you will pay for those catty remarks with your life!"

"I am _not_ a bloody coward!!" The ninja shot back furiously, and then turned to his friend. "Uriko! Go hide somewhere safe. This guy and I have a score to settle."

But she apparently was not paying attention to him, as Uriko addressed the royal member, "Cronos, don't do this! Leave Kenji and me alone! You do not want to do something that you'll regret later!"

"Wh-what…?!" The cobalt-haired teenager glanced at her in surprise, then averted his attention to Cronos, angry fire consuming his emotions to reflect in his light brown eyes. "So it was _you_ all along, Dakinasha! I can't believe you would resort to being so low as to kidnap one of your own schoolmates to fulfill your sick plan! I hope you will rot in **hell** when you die!!"

"Then I will meet you there, Ohgami." He replied calmly, and shot a fist forward, striking Kenji in the jaw and knocking him a few feet away from his female companion.


	29. Duel

****

Duel

"Kenji!" Uriko cried out for the sake of her friend, and by instinct her arm shot out to grab a hold of him, but he was already far from her grasp.

"Oof!" With that exclamation, the young ninja was thrown back a little ways, and he flailed his arms to slow down the motion, and ended up landing on the floor forcefully. His head lifted to see any oncoming attacks, and he already spotted the other fighter running toward him, a glint of malice briefly shimmering in his eyes. The dark-haired youth sprang to his feet and launched himself into the air, aiming to strike his opponent in the back of his head as he descended. Cronos looked up at that second, and lurched to the side just before the blow could meet its target, retaliating by extending his leg to kick at Kenji's abdomen as he was coming down.

"Pathetic," he sneered as his hit succeeded.

"Shut up." The mole zoanthrope shot back without even grimacing from the attack, and proceeded to swiftly flip over his foe's head, kicking his jaw as he did so. The prince appeared unaffected as he seized the airborne foot in his grasp, and swinging both of his arms, he flung the younger boy into a nearby wall, sniggering to himself when he heard the loud thud. Kenji winced at the pain that bit into his back, but just snarled hatefully as his feet found the ground again, refusing to give off any impression that he was hurt even the slightest. The mocking laughter that emitted from his opponent made his fists clench in anger, and a deadly fire burn in the depths of his light brown eyes.

"Who - or what, I should say - has been teaching you how to fight?" Cronos taunted, a cruel smile tugging at his lips. "In actuality, it would be more appropriate to inquire if you even know how to battle, since you are doing nothing but merely prancing about the place. This is not playtime, you young fool, but a bout to be fought until death stops us from dueling any longer, or have you not yet grasped that concept?"

"This fight will stop," the ninja snapped in reply, "when I knock all senses, or what little you have of them, out of your head."

"Bold words for an acolyte." He calmly retorted, and ran at the younger teenager again, and this time, he was sure that Kenji was anticipating his movement and planning a counterattack, and he smirked knowingly. Cronos surprised him by stopping just before his face, and back flipping over the boy, stomping on his shoulders to get an extra sprint on his leap. His legs curled into a roll instinctively, and his heels kicked at the youth in the back of his head, stunning him briefly as the prince landed with confident ease. The cobalt-haired youth quickly recovered and threw down a Smoke Bomb, and when he appeared behind his adversary, he kicked at his knees and delivered a crisp and harsh elbow to Cronos' spine, making him sail a short distance away.

"Kenji! Be careful!" The feline shouted her support, inwardly cursing herself for being in such a helpless state, and she struggled to stand to her feet so she could assist her ally in the fight.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine!" Kenji called back to her breathlessly, as his opponent had decreased the space between them, and he was busy dodging the multiple punches being fired at him in different areas of his upper body. One inflicting hit landed on his chest, over where his heart was, and with a dangerous scowl, he grabbed the assaulter's arm. He ruthlessly twisted it in a half-circle and jammed Cronos' elbow into his own back, then kneed him in his tailbone, getting a sick feeling of satisfaction when he heard the prince yelp in pain. The ninja sneered and shoved his rival forward, watching him as he fell face-first to the floor, and all the while leaping back to briefly jump around and cling to the walls.

"You have _adequate_ skills," the older fighter allowed, grimacing as he arose to his feet and wiped a thin trickle of blood away from the dripping coming out of his nose. Answering his unspoken challenge, the sixteen-year-old let go of his hold, and came down from his elevated position and cautiously took a few steps toward his smirking foe. He betrayed no humble emotions when he turned to face the ninja with a mysterious grin on his face, and his hand tingled in anticipation as it lingered near the thin sheathes that rested on the wall near him. "However, I am curious to know, how is your swordsmanship?"

"???" The mole zoanthrope was about to ask what he meant, when all of a sudden; his opponent tucked his hand underneath one of the slim objects hanging, and tugged the weapon out. He grabbed it by the handle, slid off the sheath and immediately swung at Kenji's head, which he only avoided by ducking a split second before the thin blade could slice through his neck. Hollering in surprise, the ninja dropped to the floor purposely, and rolled out of danger's way as Cronos repeatedly stabbed at the spots that he had just managed to leave. The prince coupled his striking motions with stomping from his feet, and when he caught one arm of the younger boy under the sole of his shoe, he plunged down with the tip and viciously struck him in the side.

"No-!" Uriko managed to rise at knee level, but almost collapsed back down when she saw the dark liquid quickly soaking her friend's navy-colored school uniform.

"Arrugh!!" the ninja could not help hollering in pain as his hand instinctively went to clutch at the bleeding wound. But he knew that it was not the right time to be nurturing his injury, and he splayed both of his palms on the ground behind his ears and launched his legs upward, kicking Cronos in the face and making him stumble back. Kenji leaped to his feet with the slight delay irking him, and he quickly ran over to the wall where other swords hung, and snatched one in his grip just as his opponent rushed at him again. Throwing the sheath off, he held the weapon between his pair of hands for added support, and arced his elbows up to strike a defensive pose.

"I'm a fast learner." He smirked at the momentary flicker of hesitation that stilled his rival, and put his reactions on hair-trigger movement, a useful notion that was his constant ally back in his more-frequent fighting days.

"Let us see you still smiling when I slice those pasty-looking lips off your face." The prince countered with smooth confidence, and bent down to slide at the youth before springing back into a standing position, and swinging his body in a full-circle with the blade stuck out to hit all unfortunate obstacles in its path. Kenji leaped up out of the way, and there was only a small tear in his sleeve to show any signs of the sword coming into contact with him. His dark blue hair swayed wildly over his eyes as the young fighter started to descend and hastily slashed out at his opponent with his own weapon.

Cronos turned his face away, but not by will, as the sharp edge had sliced a thin line in his cheek, and he screeched loudly, his free hand coming up to carefully touch the wound marring his features. His jade yellow eyes gleamed with ire and hatred as he glared coldly at the mole zoanthrope, and his grip on his sword tightened until his knuckles turned white. Letting loose a shrill war cry, he charged at Kenji with blinding speed and ruthlessly attacked him, both of their blades making a clang noise as they met. The prince executed an onslaught of skilled slashes, and the wide-eyed youth was barely able to hold his ground, as he had very little experience fighting with weapons outside those from his body.

"You will pay for that." A hateful Cronos growled menacingly, thrusting his other fist into the ninja's open and vulnerable stomach, then while he was distracted, sliced at his chest with the thin and deadly blade. Smiling cruelly when the younger fighter winced and hesitated for just a split second, he used that to his advantage and struck a blow that knocked the weapon out of Kenji's hands. He showed no mercy and continued to swing his sword in various wide half-circles, and some of the attempts landed their hit, which made the mole zoanthrope bite his lip to prevent himself from emitting any cries of pain. He was forced to go on a defensive strategy, and focused all his attention on dodging the assaults, and that prevented him from noticing the foot that shot out toward his groin.

"Rrraugh!" Kenji hollered and his body curled up in reflex; the next thing he felt was sharp metal kissing his throat, and he lurched back to avoid literally losing his head, falling to the ground on his rear. His hand went to dab at his neck, and when he brought it out in front of his face, he saw thick blood staining his fingers, and winced at the sight. A distance away, the Kenpo student bit her lip in order not to cry out, and instead, she clenched her fists, and pressed it against her cleavage. Cronos guffawed at the friends' reactions, and then arched the blade in a position to deliver a devastating blow to his opponent's head. The ninja glanced up and saw the silver shining at his eyes; it was flying at him too quickly to dodge, and he caught a flicker of his horrified reflection looking back at him.

_I'll miss you, Uriko,_ was the last thought he had as he brought up both hands to shield his face.

"Get-away-from-him!!" A female voice screamed vigorously as a slender body flew toward the prince with blinding speed and knocked him to the side, which caused him to drop the sword at Kenji's feet. At the noise, the mole zoanthrope immediately turned around to see what happened, and spied his friend lying on the ground within striking distance of his rival. When he noticed the older fighter reach his hand over to where the unmoving Uriko rested, an unbearable fury surged through his veins. After what she had sacrificed and risked saving his life, this insensitive, selfish cur was trying to undo her conscientious deed, and he was not about to stand for that.

Kenji arose to a standing position, the sword gripped tightly in his hand as he sped forward, heading for the two downed fighters. But Cronos reacted faster, and agilely snatched up the girl before standing back on his feet, with the straight edge of his hand lingering at her throat. The sixteen-year-old abruptly halted in his tracks, and his body froze, the only movement being his eyes that still scoured about the place, watching his opponent carefully. Uriko stirred and when she found out she was in the arms of her former boyfriend, she instantly began to struggle, jabbing at him with her elbows to try and escape.

"Restrain your movement!" Her captor demanded harshly, pressing his hand closer to her vulnerable area. "Do not make me do something you will not live to regret."

"Don't you dare touch her…"

A malicious smile graced his lips. "If I were in your position, peasant, I would drop the sword, and step back. You would not want my hand to twitch, and end up gagging your friend, now would you? My bride understands why I must threaten you like so."

"!!!" _Stop calling her your bride! She's not going to marry you!! _Kenji cursed in his mind, but wore a helpless expression as he obeyed the commands, and took miniscule steps away from his adversary. His clenched fists quivered at his side, and a dark urge rose within him, feeding his fury, making him intoxicated with the need to crush something in his grasp. The feline reflected her compassion and admiration for him in her brightly shining brown eyes, silently assuring him that she would be all right, telling him not to worry. He quickly nodded to imply that he trusted her, and also to show that he would find a way to get her out of the conniving fiend's hands.

But it was hard to believe her when the prince slunk his free arm over her front side, and grabbed a fistful of the white gown she donned on her body. With a lecherous grin, he applied enough force to rip the material away from her shoulder, which made the Kenpo student shriek in surprise and press her palms against her chest to prevent unwanted exposure. Cronos thrust his knee into the small of her back and her grip faltered; she lurched forward, revealing a portion of creamy skin before she clutched the torn clothing and covered herself once again. The dark-haired ninja could not restrain from running toward her, but had to stop when his rival latched glowering yellow eyes at him and shot a deadly glare.

"Take your hands off of her…"

"Why should I? I am only touching what is rightfully _mine_!" The prince slipped his hand inside the forcefully opened gown, and fondled the smooth flesh, reveling in the soft feeling grazing his fingers. A look of pure disgust formed over Uriko's expression, and she raised a leg to jam her heel against his shin, gaining a slight edge when he loosened his grip to pay more attention to the new pain that struck him. He snarled at her defiance, and pivoted to savagely strike her across the face before he yanked the girl back to hold her against his body once more. The mole zoanthrope wanted to grab his adversary by the hair and wrench each single strand from his head to inflict pain on his vanity.

"You are excited by this sight, aren't you." It was a statement rather than a question that Cronos proposed.

"I'm not, you sick, twisted pervert!" Kenji shot back indignantly, the anger heightening inside, boiling his emotions.

"Were you satisfied with your _fill_ of my wife?" The prince asked with blunt coldness, a scowl forming over his expression at the concept.

The younger fighter jolted in shock, but hastily wiped that away to hide the truth from the point-blank inquirer, and replied with his own spat question, "W-What are you talking about?!"

"Have you noticed a certain receipt missing from your schoolbag, my brainless fellow student?"

Kenji seethed at the insult, yet showed no signs of agitation, just put on a confident, cool smirk. "You're bluffing. You probably don't even know what the hell you're talking about yourself."

"Oh? Then allow me to refresh your memory." Cronos sneered knowingly, and unleashed his knowledge, "On the night of prom, my date disappeared off to an unknown place during the time that I was engaged in a game of pool with my friends. Then, as midnight approached and passed, I searched all over the room for her, inquired of her location with her acquaintances, yet she was nowhere to be found. It was not until several weeks later that I discovered where she was that night…" his eyes flared up in anger. "With you! You sly, dishonorable lowly maggot. You took advantage of my bride, and stole her maidenhead, which was reserved on the moon of their wedding day, for the right of her husband, myself!"

_N-no! That's impossible, how could he…?_ "Th-that's nothing but a lie you came up with just so you can place blame on Uriko for your own demented pleasure!" The ninja insisted vigorously, shaking his head in pity for emphasis.

"You impregnated her with the spawn of your seed!!" Cronos screeched angrily, his fist quivering to further express his emotion. "If it had not been for my quick genius thinking to annihilate your essence in her body, she would have given birth to your demon child nine months from now."

"M…my child…?" he blinked several times, and pinched his own arm to make sure he was not dreaming. "_My child?? What the hell do you mean I have a child?!_" Uriko flinched at his reaction, and shrank back from her friend, avoiding his eyes as she drooped her head to rest her gaze on the floor, a better alternative than confronting his shock.

"Have you not been listening to me?!" The prince hollered impatiently. "Had, had, **had**! You had a child, you fool! But I disposed of the worthless spawn before the treacherous life could be born to show your wicked deed of forcing yourself on my bride! I saved her from you! She doesn't need your bloody ghost to haunt her thoughts everytime she looks down into the face of the life she borne from her body!"

"…Uriko," the mole zoanthrope spoke up, ignoring the ranting words. "Is… what he said… is it true…?" Still staring at the floor, she nodded numbly, feeling her spirit dwindle and leave her alone in the empty case that was her own form, stripped of emotions as her ally heaved a ragged sigh. "That… one night… We would have… had a baby…?"

"Kenji…" she murmured hoarsely, tears welling up in her eyes when she saw his pain and realization of the innocent life that had been taken away from them.

"Aha! So you admit it!!" Cronos shrieked triumphantly. "I should have you beheaded for committing this act against my wife!!"

"You… you killed our unborn child…?" Kenji seethed, hot, fiery red anger filling his view. "You…murdered someone that never did anything to deserve… such a terrible fate…? Destroyed a life before it had the chance to show itself and experience the world…? You…you have a lot of nerve to go and play God like that, Cronos…"

"That is _Prince_ Cronos to you, feeble-minded peasant!" The royal member spat.

"I don't care if you're the Prime Minister of Japan! You're going to pay for putting Uriko through all that shit just for your sadistic enjoyment, and your twisted view on what is considered to be justice!!" He swore, as a coating of brown fur began to etch across his arms, hidden by the covering of his school uniform's sleeves.

"Oh, are you going to morph now to try and destroy me?" Cronos smirked at the surprised look on his opponent's face, and was undisturbed by the fury that emitted from him. "I do wonder what beast you will transform into. A puny Chihuahua? A pathetic little anteater, perhaps? Or maybe the irony gods have granted you your true form, what you are inside, nothing but a lowly dirt worm to be stepped on by superiors!"

The mole zoanthrope did not reply, just kept losing more of his human self, and adopting the animal counterpart within him, eager to prove his rival's conjectures wrong. Hatred rose like bile in his throat, consuming his senses, stripping him of all reason and leaving him with nothing but the repeated urge to seize and destroy. He wanted to capture his victim, and inflict the harshest and cruelest of pain upon him, make him scream in submission, and watch the light of life disappear from his glassed eyes. Deadly ripping claws sprouted from his fingertips, as his hands grew larger, enhancing his strength while his newly formed talon-like feet burst out of his shoes.

"Urrrrrrrrrrr!!" Kenji screeched, too far from his human self to mutter coherent words. His face stretched out and elongated into the mole's lengthy nose, and whiskers sprang from the sides of his cheek to further display the foreign aspects of his new form. Little of his thick brown fur was exposed, as they all were tightly snug underneath his navy blue attire, but when his hair disappeared, the fuzzy coating was shown there. He released another shrill mole cry as he completed the transformation, and performed a back flip high in the air, coming back down with one claw stabbing the ground in his crouched position, and the other raised before his face as if to strike at any second.

"Fine, vile rodent." The jade-haired fighter sneered, and threw Uriko to the side; the girl cried out when she skidded across the floor on her hipbone, and crawled over to rest her back against the wall. "Let us play this game of yours, and see who comes out victorious."


	30. Unleash

****

Unleash

A bright flash of light enveloped the prince, and seemed to explode from his body, blinding the other residents in the room as he was proceeding in his transformation. The instincts of the mole screamed to run away from the exposure, but the conscious owner held his ground and refused to budge in his aligned position with his opponent. The shield hiding Cronos slowly faded, and it revealed a small, dark bird in shrunken clothing that flapped short wings while screeching what was presumed to be a battle cry. The cobalt-haired ninja blinked his large red eyes at the new form, and released a little squeak that resembled a snort when he saw what stood before him.

_Holy…! Is that…?? He's a… a penguin?! Good Lord, that is… ridiculous… but shockingly hilarious at the same time._ He heard his female companion giggle and then barely manage to stifle her laughter at the sight that he found equally humorous, though he showed no implication of his present feelings. _What a pitiful creature._ The mole sneered; he allowed some of his well-concealed arrogance to betray his facial features as he slacked in his stance and casually beckoned his rival over with a wave of his large front paw.

The diminutive animal shrieked in a high-pitched volume, hopped up a little ways with his beak stabbing at the air, and waddled across the distance to Kenji. Letting out a shrill squeal, the prince dodged a straight out swipe, and pounced on the younger boy's talon-like feet, pecking aside the brown fur blocking his target, and used the sharp tip of his new mouth to attack the unprotected ankle. The tiny claws on his feet scratched at the other shin, and the surprised cry mingled with pain that reached his ears made Cronos bounce his lower body in excitement, yet he still kept his biting grip. His opponent raised his leg and shook it furiously, trying to throw off the little bird attached, and the penguin willingly flew off, landing a couple feet away to plan his next assault.

"Shreee…" Kenji elicited, briefly brushing his injury with one claw, then looking up and scowling at his opponent, his crimson irises flashing in anger. When the prince began to ran toward him, the sixteen-year-old quickly bent down to ground level and swept one of his feet around in a full circle. Cronos tripped over the extended leg and fell flat on his face; his opponent leaped to his side and scratched several times at his head before bounding backwards away. The prince stood up, slightly dazed, and squawked at the younger fighter in a silent challenge, beckoning him to try a new technique again.

_Young and foolish._ Cronos smirked to himself, grinning with pleasure when he spotted his opponent inching toward him stealthily; he immediately leaped toward him and tackled the ninja to the ground. His webbed feet danced about Kenji's unprotected eyes when he trounced all over his face like he owned the property, and the penguin squealed as he was soon flung off. But since his size was so miniature compared to that of the large animal standing before him, he was barely affected by the throw, and landed with ease. He flapped his light arms and squawked loudly, snapping his beak at the air to entice his rival into attempting another predictable move on him.

The mole responded by dashing forward hastily, with one arm protecting his face while the other was outstretched to claw at his victim, but he could tell his attack would be easily dodged. Anticipating his rival's movement, he changed angle at the last second and thrust his leg out; his hooked talons caught Cronos in the side, tearing a long rip in his shrunken golden garbs. The bird shrieked and latched himself onto the foot that caused his injury, and started pecking at the navy blue clothing, scratching the material to shreds. Unfazed by the brown fur of shielding, he bit into the tender skin hiding underneath, and reveled in the loud screech that came from his opponent.

_Freaking leech…!!_ Kenji snarled inwardly, and brought his lower thigh up near his face to furiously slash his claw at the little animal that held such an intently grip around his leg. The black-furred creature loosened his grasp and dropped down, rolling away just in time to avoid a vicious stab that delved into the ground, inches from his head. Squeaking as he hurriedly arose to his webbed feet, Cronos felt himself being lifted up into the air by the other fighter, and flapped his wings to slap at the protruding nose and thin whiskers that stuck out from the sides. He twisted his beak to the side and bit into the large wrist that held him, then started to attack the base of where the claws emitted from; he assumed those were sensitive spots.

The ninja refused to let go, and instead began slamming his nose into the small penguin's face, his spidery whiskers whipping across his tiny black eyes. Cronos shrieked in discomfort, and vigorously slapped his furry black wings at his opponent, then delivered vicious pecks at the sensitive muzzle with his hard beak. Kenji seemed to be somewhat affected by the assault, yet he still attained his grip, and reared back one clawed arm, and swung it to deal a harsh blow to the side of his rival's head. Momentarily stunned, the prince blinked several times before regaining his senses, and lurching forward to harass and try to scratch out the mole's large red pupils.

The sixteen-year-old finally released his hold to protect himself, unwillingly allowing Cronos to achieve his freedom, in which he pushed off of the hands that had held him, and gently glided away with the steady position of his small fuzzy wings. He landed with just a short distance separating him from the younger boy, and flashed a wide, confident grin in an almost taunting action. Kenji took the bait and darted forward, jumping with both of his claws extended above his head to thrust them into the short body of his opponent. The penguin squawked happily that his ploy had worked, and he leaped just a little ways upward to avoid the strike, and clamped his feet down onto the mole's stomach.

Holding on tightly, Cronos launched both himself and the younger teenager into the air, and slammed his victim straight into a wall, all the while screeching with malicious glee. Uriko covered her mouth with her hand to conceal the horrified shriek that threatened to escape as she watched her friend get roughly ridden around the room in midair. He crashed into several objects that were in the way, and he was barely able to yank up his claws to defend his eyes from being scooped out. Different points of his body scraped against the various weapons that hung for display and easy access to usage, and one sharp, unsheathed sword sliced a lengthy wound across his forehead.

"Shreeee-!" the mole cried and touched his injury, which was a badly timed reflex that caused a small ledge protruding from the wall to slam into his soft, unprotected nose. His body bounced and flopped as Cronos dragged him around on the walls for a couple more turns, enjoying his 'surfing' as he was inflicting pain to his victim. The feline zoanthrope could not help wailing out his name when that happened, and cringed at the golden-clothed creature rearing up and harshly flinging Kenji to the ground headfirst. Reverted back into his human form, the prince threw back his head and guffawed triumphantly when he saw the ninja lying still on the floor, but he did not notice that he was still a mole.

"Kenji!!" The Kenpo student arose to her feet and stumbled over to her friend, concern and worry marring deep lines into her brows as she hurriedly reached his side. Upon her arrival, she carefully cradled the back of his neck into the crook of her elbow, and balanced him in her lap, then shifted to place her other hand on his face, and gently stroke his furry brown cheek. She dipped her head down in remorse, and also tilted her ear toward his chest, listening for breathing to indicate that he was still alive. Surely, she heard raspy gasps being emitted from him, and the girl bit her lip, anxious to find out just how badly of an injured state he was in, and wanted to know how long it would take for him to regain consciousness.

_I can't believe he's still in beast form…_ Uriko thought wonderingly for a brief second, then her facial features brightened as she considered the positive side of possibilities for his current state. _That must mean he'll be all right! It's better for Kenji to be injured and still stay in his beast form rather than being human… at least he can heal…_ Still, she feared for any internal damage that he might have suffered from the executed technique, and she gingerly hugged the mole's upper body to her bosom comfortingly. _Kenji…_

"Release him. He is of no danger, nor burden to you now, my darling." Cronos' calm voice spoke in a cool tone from some distance away. "My bodyguard will dispose of this useless rodent, and you can start your new life with a clean slate, remember nothing of your harsh, cruel past, princess."

_Kenji… No! He's not… he's not dead!_ The feline's head snapped up to glare at her adversary and she felt her lips instinctively curl back to reveal angrily gritted teeth, and a threatening snarl rumbled low in her throat. "Kenji… It's my turn to protect you." She whispered to the unconscious boy near his ear, even though she was sure he could not hear her, and then the auburn-haired teenager carefully dislodged herself from his body. Gently setting him down on the floor, she stood up shakily, grabbed and held the torn portion of her white attire against her shoulder before adjusting into a more intimidating stance.

The female zoanthrope balled her free hand into a tight fist, and thrust it out past her face in the direction of her opponent, fighting back the urge to quiver as she kept her ground. Her long brown braid bounced off her back as she suddenly dropped into a crouch, rolled over to the side a little ways, and climbed to her feet with one of the previously fallen swords in her grip. She held the weapon up near her right ear, and leveled the blade to her eyes, catching a silver glint from the reflective surface, and when she turned to glance at it, she saw a slightly wild look in her own chocolate-colored irises. Mild red flush spotted her cheeks, and Uriko wondered if perhaps she was disillusioned, and hoped that she was not sick so that nothing could hamper the fight she would soon be engaged in.

_This… this doesn't look like me at all…_ She realized, and swallowed nervously; unbidden came the thought that she had the appearance of a hunter that had spotted her prey, and was now edging in for the kill. _Kill…?_ Did she truly have to… do that to Cronos, did she have to end his life in order to save her friend and herself from and escape from the prince's horrible, imprisoning realm? If it was at the cost of death, the elimination of his existence, she had no choice except to deplete all obstacles that stood in the way of their freedom. Yet still, the concept made her sick to her stomach, as she always hated the more fatal outcome of fighting, and the girl had to finally wrench her eyes away from her reflection in the sharp blade of the sword she held in her hand.

"I…I don't want to kill you," Uriko spoke softly, her grip loosening slightly as she cautiously peered at her opponent, keeping her other senses alert to detect any sudden movements from him.

"You will not do so, my love. Not ever." He replied matter-of-factly, and casually took a few steps toward her with a silky, convincing tone in his smoothly spoken words. "You would not strike down your husband-to-be, now would you? Turn around, princess, and there you will see your true enemy. _He_ is the one that deserves the fate of destruction. _He_ is the one that needs to be killed, for your sake, and for the sake of our kingdom and our future. Do not look to me with suspicious eyes; instead, look to the figure lying a few feet behind you, and there you will see your real adversary."

The feline shook her head vigorously, ignoring the statements and persuasive voice that he was trying to entice and confuse her into betraying her friend. She gritted her teeth in effort, and raised her sword a little above her head to emphasis the fact that she was not falling under his spell, like he had hoped she would. "No! You can't make me hurt Kenji; I'd never do that to him! You're the one that should be struck down, not him! He doesn't deserve it because he didn't do anything. Now stop trying to make me turn my back on my friend, because I won't do it!"

He sighed mournfully, and slightly shrugged his shoulders. "He has bewitched you, my dear Uriko. I am sorry that he has blinded your senses and reason to the point in which you are baffled, and unable to detect what is really right and wrong. Your judgement has been twisted to have you think the opposite of what is truly there, but alas, I don't blame you for it." An icy expression formed over his face. "I blame that young fool, Ohgami. He has interfered with my plans since the very first day I arrived at your school by clinging to your side like a leech, and not allowing others, such as myself, the privilege to get closer to you."

She scowled, and feeling the need to defend Kenji's honor while he was currently unable to, she retorted back, "You need to get your head checked, 'cause I **do** have other friends at school, and Kenji doesn't impair my contact with them or any of the other stuff you said! He hangs out with me a lot because most of the other guys at school are jealous that he's better than they are in some athletic parts, so they provoke and bother him to see if they can get a rise out of him! Honestly, you're just as bad as they are! You accuse him of being a horrible person, or doing rotten things without even having enough background information to back up your stories. You're all thick-headed mules!"

"Do you not see what he has been doing to you?" Cronos demanded, with a more authoritarian edge in his tone as his brows knit into a frown and his eerie yellow eyes flickered in her direction. "You are in a deep ditch of denial, my sweet. He has made you refuse to look at the truth, stripped you of the ability to delve underneath the surface, and realize that there is more to a person than what you see on the surface. You are only able to look at the top layer of someone, and automatically trust that he will never betray you, or use you in some way to his own sadistic pleasure when you least expect it."

"That's total bull!" The Kenpo student spat at him, and furious with his cleverly fired taunts, she ran forward, decreased the little space between them, and swung the sword wildly at his head. The prince ducked to the side with ease, making her overshoot her target, and he grabbed a hold of the arm that she had occupied with keeping her ripped attire stuck to her shoulder, covering a rather private and modest portion of her upper body. With his other hand, he swiped at her wrist and knocked the sword out of her grasp, and after she was barely able to gasp in surprise at his action, he roughly yanked her form to be pressed against his. Towering at least half a foot over her, Cronos glared down at the girl in an almost condescending manner, and captured both of her hands, keeping them imprisoned in his grip.

"Tell me something, princess, has he not tried to hurt you before? No, you shan't lie to me," he enforced when he saw that she hesitated before shaking her head. "Has this boy never raised his hand in a motion to strike you? Has he never imprinted a bruise on your tender body? Has he never _harmed_ you in any way, physically, emotionally, or mentally? You are claiming that the entire time you have spent in the presence of this young scoundrel, he only treats you with the utmost respect, and never caused a single pinprick of pain to your being? There has not been one day, one hour, one incident, in which he has hurt you, and made you feel threatened, given you the impression that he could kill you at any instant he desired to?"

Uriko grew quiet, and the jade-haired teenager inwardly laughed in triumph; aloud, he exclaimed, "Your silence tells me all I need to know. He is not perfect - oh, far from it, my love. He may be pretending to fulfill the role as your, ahem, 'best friend', praytell; however, in the end, when he is finished with his fun, he will destroy your life. I can see through him, milady. The very day that we fought on school grounds, our eyes met for a brief moment, and I could see a murderous glint shining in the depths of his. His face appeared flustered, and redness crept up on his neck, as if he were eager to fight me to the point of death, and could barely maintain his exterior so that no outsiders would detect the emotions conflicting within his mind."

"No… You don't know what you're talking about…"

"Oh, but I do," he said confidently, and continued, "You know, I will admit to you I was a bit frightened for my life, that day Ohgami and I fought. Although I knew the odds of a victory were in my favor, there was a sliver of a chance that he could beat Fate's dealt hand, and defeat me. Admit it, you know that he possesses the look and attitude of a killer. Recall, if you will, how eager he was to morph into that hideous rodent beast form of his a short time ago, and surely you saw how many attempts he executed in which he struck at my head. He wanted to _kill_ me, my darling, and I am positive that if I had fallen to his hands, he would eliminate you next as well."

"Sh-shut up! You're lying!" She screeched, and began to struggle as she wildly thrashed her arms and legs to try and land a hint that would grant her the freedom she was trying to achieve. "I won't listen; I don't believe a word you say, now let me go!"

"Foolish girl!" The prince hollered impatiently, and shook her shoulders hard, making her head snap back and forth in unwilling reflex as she fell limp, not wanting to aggravate him to the point in which he would harm her friend or herself in fury. "Did you not pay close enough attention to the appearance of his beast form?? Did you not notice the ten vicious claws that extended from his hands, and the way that he was constantly poised to slash at me with them?! He is a killer! He could shred you to non-existence in a mere minute! He would fit perfectly in the role of an assassin for hire!"

The girl shivered at how closely his words were near hitting home, not wanting to believe him, and then he choose that very instant to stop speaking abruptly, and lean in very close to her ear, whispering knowingly, _"Once a killer, always a killer."_ She elicited a distressed moan in response.

At that same second, a pair of red eyes looked up in his direction, and a forbidden fury aroused from the depths, leaping out in scorching flames that threatened to consume the focused target. The ears that had heard every word exchanged between the two perked in attention, and creased back to thickly emphasis an undeniably fierce expression. Sharply tipped claws rose in the air to a much higher level, and were poised in a position ready to pierce into the soft, weak body of an unfortunate victim. A voice of reason feebly attempted to fight back the screaming impulse that craved vengeance, and only by the way of spilled blood staining such presently clean hands.

The pleas were crushed into submission, and the ire bubbled up higher, inhibiting everything, consuming all controls and stripping away any remaining sense or lingering doubts. The anger was far too great to be diminished easily, and the one solution that seemed to have a single bit of effect was to destroy the life that was standing a mere few feet away. Acute senses returned immediately, almost as if they were never forgotten, but just stored elsewhere to be used again in an appropriate time, such as this one. A hunger erupted within the risen figure, the urge to inflict pain, cause much bodily harm and injure the person in sight, and the owner finally succumbed to the dark emotions that had lay dormant inside, and had not been released for a long period of time.

_"You are mine. And you will very soon be dead."_ The assassin Bakuryu hissed silently, and the shady intentions and ideas running through his head was entirely dripping with malice.


	31. Play

****

Play

Cronos never detected any motion behind him, and had no opportunity to be surprised when a lean form tackled him in the back, causing the prince to drop his object of affection. The Kenpo student cried out in pain when she felt sharp claws briefly swipe at her arm, tearing through the skin, and she folded it against her chest instinctively. Blood trickled down from the wound, wetting her fingers, staining them with the very substance that haunted her nightmares in reminder of the violent past she had as a child. She rolled on her side, until she ran into a nearby wall, and curled her body into a protective ball, her eyes opened wide and alert as they trained on watching the events unfold before her.

An agile mole was viciously slashing his built-in weapons into the chest of the jade-haired royal member, thankfully meeting the resistance of his hard golden armor. Cronos ducked from the lashes that were aimed for his head, but a sharp talon foot caught him in the face, and his hands immediately went up to shield his eyes from injury. Painful blows dug into his back instead, clawing away his attire to attack the soft, vulnerable surface of bare skin; he bent his head to cover his neck. The fiery assassin grabbed his opponent by both sides, and lifted him into the air, glaring rash red irises in his direction before throwing the older fighter straight into the wall, a mere few feet from where Uriko lay.

"Ahhh!" The frightened girl shrieked and reflexively cringed at the sight of the prince groaning as he slammed his back onto the rough surface, and slowly slid down to the floor. Cronos groggily blinked his eyes open, just in time to abruptly shove himself to the side and dodge five claws that stabbed into the ground, in the same spot where his neck had been. He leaped back up into a shaking standing position, and ducked behind a tall suit of armor holding an axe that was the only thing preventing him from taking hits by the angry mole zoanthrope. His heart hammered frantically as for the first time, he tasted real fear of losing his life, but when a thought occurred to him, he smiled confidently.

_I must remove myself from within his striking distance._ The seventeen-year-old chided himself as he jumped up a little ways to barely avoid a double downward slash that was aimed for his shins. The deadly assassin released a shrill screech of frustration and viciously thrust his claw toward the prince's abdomen, one of his favorite trademark moves. Cronos back-flipped several times, and that gained him a few feet distance from his opponent, and daintily landed onto the red cushion of the throne he had been sitting in earlier. A cold grin tugging at his lips, he gazed downward at the younger fighter before leaping off the chair, and closing his eyes as piercing yellow light enveloped his form.

"You are not the only elite fighter in this room…" his smoothly murmured words trailed off as he lost the ability to speak, as well as his very own human self. The mole shrieked at the sudden brightness, and used his large claws to cover his sensitive eyes, which prevented him from spying a slim figure diving at him from high in the air. Golden softness tickled at his nose, the only pleasant feeling he received, for a split second later, heat scorched his dark brown fur, while something wide beat at his face. The ninja fell back to the floor, and raised his feet, lashing out wildly in hopes of coming into contact with his opponent's body, and reveling in the sound of a high-pitched screech when he hit his target.

A violent shudder quaking through her, Uriko parted her dry lips and shied away her view of sight from the fight that was taking place so close to her current location. She did not even take a moment to see the prince's new form, as she was only thinking of her friend, of how afraid he made her feel at that very instant. The last time she had seen him in that state was a couple years ago, when he nearly attacked her Kenpo master to the point of death in their heated battle. It was as if the malicious assassin had lain dormant inside Kenji since that day, and perhaps it had been a struggle for him to keep the killing urge down.

_N-no, I can't believe what Cronos said…!_ She shook her head in denial, trying to place her faith in her zoanthrope compatriot, rather than entrusting it into the hands of a selfish, yet skilled manipulator. The hand she had pressed against her heart curled into a loose fist and a few stray teardrops dripped out of the corner of her tightly closed eyes. She desperately wanted to gather up the courage to stand on her feet and run over to stop Kenji before he went too far in the fight, but the thought of being struck down by him had dark fear running in her veins. And what would it all be worth, just to save someone that cared nothing for anyone except for what he wanted, would not hesitate to kill her friend?

While she was pondering in her mind, the prince stretched out his brilliantly shining wings to their full length, and flew up into the air with ease, sneering down at his opponent from his higher position. His sharp-tipped golden beak was many times the size of his penguin form, and the vicious talons on his feet rivaled those of the mole standing on the ground. His feathers were thick and shielded him from being easily damaged, and the way he could take to flight and stay out of striking range gave him an enormous advantage. But what he was unaware of was that the ninja possessed techs in which he could execute to the airborne, and promise successful outcomes.

Cronos released a horribly high-pitched noise that made his opponent flinch just the slightest bit, and his huge claws moved toward his ears to cover them. Taking advantage of the short distraction, the phoenix screeched a battle cry and folded his wings back, straightening his body as he dived at the younger fighter. His large talons raked through the fur around the mole's head, and would have scratched the corner of one of his eyes if a reaction had not ensued quickly enough, but the prince was pushed away. The ninja snapped his eyes up to attention, and agilely jumped forward in an attempt to stab at the foe's abdomen, a trademark move of his.

"Sheeeeerrrrr!" The golden bird cried shrilly as he arose higher in the air, out of range, and retaliated by shooting out a wave of heated flames from the gleaming feathers of his wings, as if the fire had merely melted off. The mole rolled away and barely had a thin sheen of his fur scorched, but the damage was too little for him to take alarm to, and he immediately crouched his legs in preparation to launch up toward his opponent. Extending both of his heavy muscled arms, he grabbed the bird around the chest area, and spun him multiple times in midair, ignoring the dizziness that threatened to settle in his consciousness. The prince was soon flung down to the ground face-first, and he shrieked soundly in pain, then flapped his wings frantically to escape a possible following assault.

_Ugh…_ Uriko moaned inwardly, her eyes blinking close instinctively when she heard a sickening crack that might have meant Cronos had broken a bone, or perhaps several. His flying ability indeed appeared hampered when one of his wings were moving awkwardly, not in-sync with his other one, and that made him unable to soar as high as he intended to. He could not get away quickly enough, and howled as sharp points viciously slashed at his back, snagging a few bright yellow feathers in the claws. The bird squawked and his flapping slowed unwillingly, which gave his mole opponent the opportunity to tackle and knock his unprotected form to the floor.

The Kenpo student gasped and almost jumped to her feet when she witnessed the scene, but froze in fear when her friend turned his head in her direction and glared with menacing red irises. She backed up until she felt the wall pressed behind her, and he returned to his business, seated firmly atop the prince's abdomen, proceeding to smack his beak around. Cronos twisted his head to the side and managed to bite one of the clawed wrists that was attacking him, and the mole retracted with a furious squeal. He was rewarded with a harsh blow to his face, and he snapped back, stunned, when another brutal strike hit him on the side of his forehead, and his muscles relaxed as he slipped into unconsciousness.

"No-! Don't do it!!" Uriko shouted to her changed and berserk friend when he pointed snow-white daggers at each of the prince's eyes, silently threatening to stab him blind. She took a step forward with her hand raised in emphasis with her previous statement; quietly and slowly, he arose from his sitting position, and snatched his opponent's neck, forcing him up to stand on his feet. The mole turned around swiftly and glared at the girl, eyeing her throat as his free hand stretched out the individual fingers and the claws shifted in a tantalizing motion. His long nose twitched, making his thin, sensitive whiskers move, and what seemed to be a sadistic expression crossed his face as he glanced at the prince, then back at the feline zoanthrope.

She knew that he was challenging her to try and stop him from doing away with his victim, and fear shook her because there was a great possibility she could lose not only the battle, but also her very life. But even at that cost, she had to stop him before he killed Cronos; if he succeeded in doing so, she knew that her Kenji would be lost to her forever. When or if he ever regained a hold of himself, he would remember that he had taken another life, and the still-fresh memory of his assassin days would overcome his mind. He'd never again allow himself to believe that he could redeem his sins, and his spirit would die, shrivel up and dwindle away until he was consumed with emptiness.

It was time to repay him for traveling so far to rescue her from this hellhole; now, it was her turn to help him, and she had to save Kenji from his brutal and merciless assassin counterpart. Brushing the stray bangs out of her eyes, Uriko heaved a shaky breath and nodded ever so slightly in acceptance, while her hand tightened its grip on her shoulder. Still holding onto the torn material modestly, she gasped when her friend released a shrill cry, and reared back his arm, aiming for Cronos' vulnerable throat. Her mind had not even caught up to the realization of her body morphing by its own will until she was halfway across the room, darting toward the two male fighters.

"Sto-op!!" She cried in resistance, her voice strangely sounding garbled, and that was when the girl looked down at herself and spied the thick tan fur of her cat beast form spread out where her skin used to be. Small but deadly claws protruded from the former position of the nails on her fingertips, and delicate, acute feline ears were growing atop her head, nestled in her auburn tress. At the base of her spine, a tail twitched in motion with the air, and stuck up rigidly when Uriko stopped, as if it had sensed her surprise and alarm. The instincts of her animal made her knees bend slightly, and her back slouch in a combat-ready pose, with her arms poised near her face for immediate protection.

Wariness mingled with surprise briefly registered on the mole's face, but he quickly discarded the expression, and averted his attention to delivering the fatal blow to his captive. The nimble cat leaped from her current position, and extended her paws, digging her claws into his fur as she was launched toward the assassin, but only grazed his back when he barely dodged to the side. She fell to the floor and blinked as she shook her head dizzily, and looked over her shoulder to notice that her move made his hold on Cronos loosen, but not enough to let him go. Her friend growled menacingly and glowered down at her as he kicked her in the stomach with his sharp talons, bringing a pained mew out of her throat.

_Ugghhh…_ She groaned inwardly, and howled when five points stabbed her arm, retracting only when her feet instinctively swung around to knock away the harmful presence near her body. A coppery odor trickled over to her nostrils, followed by a wetness that she felt near her elbow, and she knew that he had penetrated deep enough to break through the skin. Ignoring the ache that arose after the initial numbness had worn off, Uriko propped herself to her knees, and then stood up shakily. The mole was no more than a yard distanced from her, and he did not show any sign of remorse or regret for hurting her; rather, he emitted an aura of satisfaction that had barely been fulfilled.

She blinked timidly at the dead, soulless look she spied in his eyes, and in that very instant; he and the prince disappeared into what seemed like thin air, with only thin gray smoke lingering in their wake. Remembering his Smoke Bomb tech, the feline immediately whirled around, her acute senses becoming aware of the slightest movements in the room. A breezy whisper passed by her cheeks, and she turned in the direction of the contact, only to find a large hand slashing deadly claws across her chest. A surprised yowl escaped from her as she hurriedly stepped back out of reach, and her heels caught against a firm object on the ground, causing her to stumble.

Teetering a bit off balanced, Uriko flailed her arms, trying to get her feet down into a proper standing position, when a sturdy brown palm thrust forward and shoved her to the floor. She descended, roughly landing on her rear, which caused her to elicit a small cry and her paw reflexively went up to her mouth so she could lick the fur in comfort. Shaking her head, she ridded herself of the feline instinct, and slowly lifted her eyes up to face her predicament, just as several dagger tips stole underneath her chin, pointing at her susceptible neck. The frightened cat girl mewed shrilly and began edging backward along the ground on her bottom, but those sharp death threats followed her until she was pressed against a wall.

_There's only one thing I can try… I have to… Oh, but it's dangerous…_ She silently debated in her mind, and made her decision when the mole tensed his muscles, and his claws quivered in anticipation of stealing her life. Uriko dropped her shoulders and sighed what seemed like a motion of defeat, causing her friend to hesitate for a second, and regard her with curiosity. Without warning, she shot up from her sitting pose all of a suddenly, and she quickly dug her claws into the assassin's hands, knocking Cronos out of his grasp. She curled her body in a circular shape as she folded the other fighter and herself into a ball of electrifying energy that shielded and prevented them from escaping.

Consciousness and awareness escaped her senses as the cat zoanthrope felt her form being flung about the walls of the room, the colorful sphere that imprisoned her crashing into many of the surrounding aspects. Pain struck the back of her head and her mouth flew open in a silent scream, but she refused to emit any sound that would reveal a single sliver of her distress. Thin edges caught onto the white sleeves of her outfit, and when they snagged onto her securely, they were forcefully torn off as the ball continued to bounce around. She felt battered and weakened by the time that she and the mole elevated a bit into the air, then plummeted rapidly and slammed down onto the ground.

Normally, Uriko would bounce back on her feet and her head would sway around dizzily as she wailed aloud from the aftermath effect of her beast drive, but this time, she could not even find enough energy to stand. Her knees buckled when she tried to raise her body off from the cold, hard surface of the floor, and she slumped, retaining her previous lying position. Fatigue pierced her muscles while fiery agony flickered through her veins, making her groan unwillingly as she fought to keep her eyes open. She desperately wanted to shift her head so she could look behind her, and see what damage her friend suffered, or if he was even still conscious.

"What a foolish, not to mention wasted, attempt." A calm voice spoke lowly; barely reaching her ears as the auburn-haired girl moved her hands to grasp at her chest, and hide the new areas exposed by her clothing's tears. "You would sacrifice yourself for this worthless excuse of a person. All I wanted to do was… teach him a lesson, acknowledge him to keep his mouth shut when he's around someone who can make him pay for whatever words he would regret saying later. It was his stupid decision to push my buttons as if my purpose was to entertain and amuse him, so he had to live up to his mistake."

"Y-You're still…" she started to murmur, feeling icy fear prick at her nerves when soft footsteps sounded, approaching her weakened body. The Kenpo student winced as she turned her figure around so that she was lying on her back, and struggled to sit up onto her bottom and be able to face her fate. A hand clamped on her shoulder, gripping so tightly that she almost whimpered in pain, but she held it in, and leisurely raised her eyes to see the assassin. Crimson irises glared down at her, baring the malicious intentions that lay dormant within, showing no mercy when she cringed and tried to move away.

"I'm still alive." He filled in for her, a small bunch of stray blue bangs drifting to graze his forehead as a wicked smile curved his lips when he then asked, "Are you disappointed?"

"N-No, of course not…" Uriko replied, unable to resist turning to the side when he bent to her level, keeping his iron grip, and brought his face close to hers, his hot breath fanning her skin.

"I'm not easy to kill." Her friend informed, chuckling slightly when he saw her give the faintest motion of nodding, and nudged her smooth cheek with the tip of his nose. "But others, however, I can't speak for." He briefly glanced back over his shoulder at Cronos' still body that lay motionless on the floor, as if he were in a comatose state.

"I-Is he dead…?" She whispered in question, her eyes averting to where the prince was presently located, and a lump formed in her throat when she saw him so stationary, not even detecting any movement from his chest to indicate that he was breathing.

"If he is not already, then he will be soon enough." His quiet tone betrayed no emotion, and she felt him lean in close to her ear, his lips tickling her sensitive lobes as he murmured provocatively, "And you will too. I wasn't planning on killing you, but since you interfered, I'm afraid you'll have to suffer the same consequences as him."


	32. Escape

****

Escape

"Uhh!" Uriko cried out in surprise as the assassin's elbow struck her in the chest, and she was roughly shoved down, wincing when her back hit the ground. The flat side of a hand pressed against her neck, cutting off her gasp, making her eyes bulge slightly when she struggled to breathe. Her arms immediately flew up to push aside the obstruction that prevented the oxygen flow into her body, but then she suddenly found a lean figure moving to cover her body. That made it harder for her to draw breath into her straining lungs, and the feline zoanthrope grimaced in discomfort while she tried to wriggle out from under the imprisonment.

The pressure at her vulnerable throat increased, and a dark head bent down to her level while his low voice hissed a warning into her ear, "Stop resisting. Or else I'll make your death very slow… and excruciating…"

Stubbornly shaking her head, Uriko forced away the warmth that traveled throughout her form, but she could not fight back the tingles trickling down her spine from the feeling of the ninja lying on top of her. Her lean, but softer muscles were molded against his hard body, and she could feel her heart pounding faster when his hot breath tickled her earlobe. Even though he was not himself at that moment, he still invoked strong sensations in her, and it made the Kenpo student squirm more persistently. She would not let him put her under his spell; she had to maintain headstrong and fight for all she was worth if he truly meant it when he claimed that he was going to kill her.

_What a beautiful creature._ Bakuryu whispered the surprising comment inside the male teenager's head, complimenting the vision of loveliness snuggled underneath his body. The girl had gone through quite a bit of hell in the short time she spent in India, with all that the prince forced her to endure, and then afterwards with her own best friend threatening her very life. And yet now, with the upper portion of her white attire torn in several places, her hair matted and loose, bangs dangling all over her face, she still managed to provoke and entice his desires with her attractiveness. _Beautiful, but a dangerous threat to your cause. She might force you to stop. Still, it is a pity that she must be disposed of._

Uriko raised partially closed eyes up to glance at her friend, who had just lifted his head from her ear level, and was now looking down at her with curiosity lurking in his still-red irises. A strange sense of regret drilled into his consciousness when her lips parted to exhale a pained gasp, and her face grew a bit pale as she began to feel lightheaded. She bent her knee and nudged at him in the abdomen, but it was not forceful enough to push him away, and a garbled noise rumbled low in her throat from frustration. Blinking dazedly, she felt her eyelids drifting down to grant her peaceful sleep, and whispered his name while a throbbing darkness ached to claim her.

_Kill her._ The malicious voice commanded harshly into his mind, expressing no remorse over her weakened state, and in fact was laughing deliciously at the thought of snatching away the girl's life. His eyes burned with a consuming fire that flared higher as his fingers trembled against her smooth, soft skin, pressing on vulnerable points that would fulfill his accomplishment. Heavy breaths quaked his chest as he exhaled shakily, and ordered his hands to apply the necessary pressure to end her existence, but found that they would not obey. A look of confusion marred his brows at the resistance, and the reprimand in his head increased, persistent in trying to make him follow through with the kill.

_…I can't do this._ The ninja realized with a jolt of surprise, and removed his arm from her throat, then stared down at his hands in amazement, wondering why he refused to end her life. He had decimated the past victims with no hesitation, and he even enjoyed hearing their last protests and pleading, the final scream as death clouded their consciousness. Nothing exhilarated him more than stealthily stalking his prey with night cloaking his identity, the scent of fear teasing and provoking him to pursue the hunt. The only times he felt unclean was when blood did not stain his fingers, when the coppery smell was not entangled in his senses, but now, the mere concept of this young female's deceased essence lingering on his body sickened his stomach.

_Don't go weak now. _He shook his head slightly in denial, and hurriedly moved off of her slender, still form, scooting backwards on his bottom until he felt the wall behind him. _ Kill her. Kill her now!_ The dark-haired teenager gripped his temples with his hands, and squeezed his eyes shut tightly, not wanting to give into the persuasive voice's demands. His teeth clenched together in effort, and he continued his inner conflict, unnoticing of the feline zoanthrope stirring weakly; her arms shifted in an instinctive effort to raise her body up into a sitting position. She swayed a little, dizzy from the lack of oxygen minutes prior, and then spied her friend just a couple feet away, shrunken into a tense pose.

_Kenji…_ The girl propped herself on her knees, and slowly crawled over to his location, paying no attention to how disheveled or exposed she appeared at that moment, with torn strips of her outfit dangling down freely. Her long brown braid slid off her back and bounced against her side, loosely curling around her arm as she reached her destination, and adjusted her position into a seated one. Beside her, the distraught form of her comrade shuddered and she heard him mutter curses under his breath, almost as if he were arguing with another. She laid a tentative hand on his shoulder, and he immediately recoiled from her touch, making her feel like she was poison and presented danger to him.

"Kenji," she whispered, reaching out to barely graze his elbow with her fingertips when he shimmied away from her once again; she bit her lip in disappointment as tears of concern pricked at her eyes. "Kenji, what's wrong…? Let me help you…"

"Help? Hah! This is **your** fault." A deep voice that seemed to come from her friend rasped, but it certainly did not sound like him. "His jealousy and anger erupted, and these are the results. But those emotions, they were invoked because of _you_, little amateur girl. Foolish boy, he cares about you more than he will ever admit. Of course, he is wasting his energy, as you obviously would never return the affection that he wishes to express. Friendship, the only disguise he can wear to hide his feelings. You forced him to hold back."

"I… What…?" Uriko questioned, confusion shimmering in her eyes while her heart skipped a beat at his cruelly spoken words, and a part of her wondered if he was telling the truth.

"The stupid boy is bewildered by his emotions. What a pathetic weakling, unable to even identify his very own feelings. He refuses to admit the painfully obvious, shied by his insecurities, afraid that you will reject him if he tried to let you know, as you did once before with the conniving, cock-eyed prince. You caused his misery, his worries, and began this battle that he must now wage inside himself, all for your sake. You make him question his actions, such as now, and if it weren't for your influence, he would have killed both you and that other puny penguin, but he stopped because he doesn't want to hurt you!"

The Kenpo student wondered where this mysterious side of her companion was coming from, and assumed it was the assassin that had been hiding within him all along. This was the ruthless part that had commanded him to execute each of his past kills, and persuaded him to fight with the only intention of achieving his opponent's death. He would have destroyed her too, if it had not been for his strong emotions that resisted the temptation, and struggled to distance himself from her so that she would not be harmed by his hand. The acknowledgement touched her deeply, and she felt her lips tremble as her vision blurred with the forming of tears, and her body shivered in fear for him.

"L-Leave Kenji alone…" she ground out forcefully, a hard edge in her tone. "You've done your damage, now go… I want my best friend back in control of his own body, not… not a merciless killer like you…"

"You were always the biggest threat," the assassin continued, still in his crouched pose, ignoring her demand. "You should have been eliminated in the beginning; he got too close to you, and now you are the only one standing in the way of his destructive cause, the only obstacle preventing him from going back to his true self, a killer. Not even his brother could invoke such a strong reaction as what he would do to anyone that ever hurt you, or even laid a single finger to bruise your tender skin. Stupid little girl, you stagger his potential."

"Sh-shut up, Bakuryu." Uriko growled, and her hands balled into fists as anger taunted her emotions, threatening her own rage that fought to take control of her. "_You_ are the one that should be eliminated! Get out of Kenji, now! He shouldn't have to go through this torture and other crap from you; he deserves a lot better!!" She was screaming, her body quivering in ire while blood pounded in her head from the blinding frustration of trying to convince the possessed being in her friend to leave him. The thought of Kenji being torn apart inside his own mind scared the girl, especially if it was occurring because of her, and she felt responsible for whatever he suffered.

The person that held the form of her friend lifted his head up, and gazed in her direction, crimson eyes flashing darkly as a cold smile tugged at his lips. "You can have the boy, all to yourself. He certainly wouldn't complain, hah. But are you sure you can handle knowing that he has… this side of him?" A cruel sneer replaced his previous expression. "Knowing, that someone inside of him, I, am lurking? If it were up to me, you would be dead. Right now. But lucky for you, his pathetic, clingy feelings have prevented me from doing away with your life. What will you do, now that you know his true emotions toward you?"

"I-I don't know," she answered truthfully, glancing down at her hands, then peered back up with a determined look in her facial features. "But what I _do_ know for sure, is that I want Kenji back. I want **you** to go away, and I want Kenji to come back. You don't belong here."

"Oh, all right then, time for the boy to come back and have his emotions be toyed and manipulated again. Will the torture never stop, tsk, tsk." Bakuryu smirked when the feline winced at his harsh accusations. "Take good care of him, _kitty_. Because when he's done with you, I'll be there to help him reclaim his true self - he can become the assassin that he was trained for and meant to be.

"Hrmp, the night you two were in the hotel room? I helped him seduce you. Without me, he would never have had the courage to even make a move, even such as a simple thing like kiss you. He is a coward around you, uncertain and afraid of his actions, completely dissolved to a core of nothing because of his bloody infatuation with you. So be grateful that I granted you that one night with him, girl. It will be the only experience that you two share. But, I must admit one thing," he chucked and told her blatantly, "you _do_ taste as sweet as he thinks your person is… Even I enjoyed doing that as much as I'm sure he did, haha…"

"I'll never let you take him!" Uriko declared defiantly, raising a fist at him in an uncontrollable action of anger, but then her voice softened when she thought of her beloved friend. "Kenji… Kenji will be safe with me. I'll watch over him, and I'll protect him… especially from you."

"Think what you will." The ninja snarled, and threw her a confident sneer. "You had better hope he has enough control to keep me in check, because next time, I **will** kill you. I promise that. You are his number one priority, the person who influences and persuades his decisions the most, and that is why you must be eliminated first." He grinned wryly, and lowered his head, hiding his eyes. "Well then, until next time we meet, little cat."

And all of a sudden, his body went limp; the Kenpo student immediately rushed over to his side, and caught his head in her arms, cradling him carefully. She brushed away a few strands of dark blue bangs near his eyes, and gently cupped his cheek with her palm, as a tear slowly slid down her chin. The malicious assassin Bakuryu was gone for now, but how long would it be before he broke through her friend's restraint, and made true to his threatening promise of disposing her life? A realization hit her at that moment: anytime she was in his presence, she would be endangering herself, playing a deadly game with Fate.

Shivering at the thought, Uriko continued holding her zoanthrope compatriot, and ignored the screaming dark possibilities trying to force their way into her mind. She shut her eyes and released a shuddering sigh, overcome with pressure and emotion with the ever-dramatic turn of events that had just been revealed to her. Without a doubt, she would give her life for Kenji, but if what his evil counterpart said was true, that she was the only barrier separating him from going back to his assassin self, she had to stay alive. Even though the girl knew there was a chance that she would die by his hand, she had to make sure she remained closely by his side, so that she could indeed watch over him.

His feelings for her… that was what confused her the most - just exactly _what_ was his viewpoint and interpretation of where they both stood in their supposedly platonic relationship? Kenji had always denied love, he claimed that he truly did not know or understand the meaning of that word, and could never express such an emotion. And yet, they shared a night together, where all reasons were tossed aside, feelings were stripped bare, and the two gave themselves to each other. As much as she hated to admit it, if Bakuryu did give him the courage to display any signs of affection toward her, then the assassin helped make him who he was as a whole.

"That arrogant bastard…" she swore quietly, sighing in frustration when she knew that the conniving killer had her in his trap. Either way, the female zoanthrope would lose - if she left her friend, then his anger and grief might overtake him, but if she stayed around him, she was risking her life. Still, the latter choice was the more desirable of the two, and she made her decision, promised silently that she would never abandon him, and always keep a watchful eye just in case Bakuryu broke free again. That meant he had to participate in fewer battles, for fury always ignited the urge to kill by threatening to shatter his control, and allow the assassin to take over his consciousness.

"Auugh…" A low groan caught her ears' attention, and Uriko whipped her head toward the direction of the noise, her eyes springing open to glance upon the face of her male companion. He shifted slightly in her arms, lips pressed together tightly in a sign of discomfort, and she exclaimed happily at his movement, "Kenji!"

The cobalt-haired teenager blinked slowly, and looked up at her, concern lingering in his pupils. "Uriko… you're all right. Wh-what happened…?" His face twisted in confusion, then flickered with anger. "Where's that little creep Dakinasha?!"

"Oh! Cronos!" She had just now remembered the fight that gone on between her friend and the prince, and turned her head to glance in the direction of where he was lying on the ground. "He… he's over there…"

"Mmm…" Kenji grimaced as he propped himself on his elbows, and leisurely lifted away from the girl's hold and his upper body ascended into a sitting position. He pivoted to follow suit and see where she was glancing; "…He's unconscious. Good… now we don't have to hear his snide comments." He sighed in relief, and pressed his palm against his forehead.

She bit her lip gingerly, and dared to ask, "You… you don't remember…?"

"No," the ninja replied, and quirked up a corner of his mouth to express his bewilderment. "I only remember fighting him, then he… knocked me out. Huh, you must have taken care of him while I was down." He grinned slightly at Uriko. "You did a great job."

"I…I didn't do anything…" the feline whispered, her voice barely audible, and she looked away, feeling ashamed. "…Listen, Kenji, we should get out of here now, don't you think so?"

A frown marred his eyebrows in suspicion. "You're hiding something. What is it?" She kept silent, and he growled quietly. "Come on, Uriko. Don't keep secrets from me if I'm involved in them, like that Saturday… Well, you know." He trailed off guiltily.

She shook her head stubbornly. "I'll tell you later. Let's just go now, okay? I don't want to be in this place any longer…" she sniffled a little when small teardrops began sliding down and scouring around her cheeks.

He gazed at her for a long moment, then finally nodded stiffly, visibly displeased with her furtive behavior. "All right. But you're not off the hook yet, Uriko; I _will_ ask you again later." Kenji watched the girl every second while she was helping him stand up, trying to interpret what the expressions that would briefly flicker over her face meant. But she did not say a single word to help clue him in, and just slung her arm through her friend's, as he waved off her offer to assist him in his walking. Then, he noticed her torn outfit, and became more perplexed, but said nothing as he stopped her for a moment, and unbuttoned his navy blue shirt, stripping it from his upper body to give to the Kenpo student.

"Thanks…" she blushed and covered herself, flashing him a grateful smile, and he returned the gesture; for that instant, they were back to their old selves, happy with each other. But the short period passed, and somber expressions formed over their faces again as they headed toward the double doors together, strolling across the room slowly, inwardly hoping that someone was on the other side to unlock them so they could leave. Uriko went for the direct approach; she stepped up to one of the doors, and pounded on it with her fist, while her male companion yelled loudly, "Hey! Whoever is out there, open this door right this instant!!"

"Prince Cronos!" A voice from the other side exclaimed, and immediately, a click noised, and the tall golden frames were pulled open, then two guards and another man ran inside. "You have disposed of the cur, my prince…?!" All three realized that they were speaking with the adversaries, and averted their attentions to the still figure sprawled on the floor across the room. "Prince Cronos!!"

The guards dashed hurriedly to where their ruler laid, while a large, hefty man baring hard silver armor turned to the teenager pair and glared at them ruefully. "You! Which one of your harmed my prince?! You should be executed for your crime!!"

Kenji sneered and straightened his posture, ignoring the ache pounding in his head as his hand went to grip the girl's tightly, and he spoke quietly, "He's in hell, where he belongs. We should be rewarded, instead of punished, for doing away with _scum_ like him."

The stout bystander growled maliciously, "You dare insult our great ruler?! I shall dispose of you both myself, in the honor of my dear Prince Cronos!! Prepare yourselves for battle, fiends!" He clapped his hands together in a deafening sound, but the ninja moved back, jerking his friend along with him, and threw down an object that fizzled a cloud of smoke around the two. The man coughed and closed his eyes as his arms swayed around, pushing away the cloak that prevented him from seeing his opponents. When the smoggy fumes cleared, he blinked and glanced about the place, but his lips curled in confusion as he noticed the teenagers had disappeared.

"They are gone… Hruhmp…" he snarled and gritted his teeth angrily, clenching a fist. But a call over his shoulder broke through his thoughts, "Lord Ganesha!! Come hither, quickly! Prince Cronos is-" The one referred to as Ganesha jerked to attention and cut the voice off with a wave of his hand, and immediately rushed over to attend to the royal member.


	33. Hurt

****

Hurt

The colors swam before her eyes as weaving hands mechanically spun the individual strips together, the view seeming to appear far-off distanced and fuzzy. The absentminded girl sighed heavily, and could not help her thoughts from flickering over to the handsome foreign boy that had stayed at her house the night before. She wondered what business he had with the prince, and why he was taking so long with the visit, and then played with the idea that maybe he would come back and see her one last time prior to returning to his own country. Crisp, sharp knocks jolted Milyna to awareness, and she instantly dropped her basket to hold up her skirts as she hurriedly dashed toward the front door.

"Who is it, Milyna?" Her mother called from the kitchen, with water noising about the vicinity, since she was currently washing the dinner dishes in the present late evening hour.

"I don't know, Mama," she answered, and rested her hand on the knob, twisted it and pulled the door open to reveal two shadowed figures standing before her. "…? Um, hello…?"

"Milyna." A low masculine voice spoke, sending familiar tingles down the Indian girl's spine. "It's good to see you again."

"Oh, it's you, Kenji!" She exclaimed excitedly, surging forward to wrap her arms around his upper body, startling the ninja into jerking back and he unwillingly dropped his friend's hand.

"This must be the girl that helped you," the other person remarked with an amused giggle at Milyna's spontaneous reaction to her companion's return. "Aw, you charm so many people, Kenji." She teased lightly; eyes shining mischievously at the uncomfortable look on Kenji's expression as he gently untangled the girl from him and put some distance between them.

"Oh? Who…who's this?" The female host seemed to suddenly realize there was someone standing next to the visiting boy.

"She's a good friend of mine," the mole zoanthrope answered casually, placing his palm on Uriko's shoulder as he glanced at her with affection shrouded in his light brown irises. "Milyna, this is Uriko."

"Hi, nice to meet you," the feline smiled courteously and shook the other girl's hand, trying to ignore the fatigue nagging at her nerves, slowly draining her energy. She blinked several times to clear away the sleepiness threatening to shut her eyes, and had to put her free hand on her friend's arm to steady herself and make sure she would remain standing.

"Y-Yeah, it's nice to meet you too…" Milyna's grip faltered and she released her grasp when she noticed Uriko holding onto the boy's arm. "Um… So, would you two like to come in? It's getting kinda late… do you have a place to stay overnight?"

"Uh, not really…" Kenji admitted, sounding a bit ashamed as he continued, "We were wondering if… if it would be all right with you and your mother if we stayed here in your house for tonight. I'm sorry, we don't mean to impose, but I promise, it won't be a long stay; we'll be gone tomorrow morning, Milyna."

"O-Oh, why, of course you can!" She stammered, feeling happy that he thought of her when he had been presented with that dilemma and she beamed an elated smile in his direction. "Come on in! I'll ask Mama, but I'm sure she'll give you permission. But, um, are you two okay with sleeping in our living room? We only have one couch, so if one of you wants to stay in my room, that's all right with me."

"No, it's all right," the ninja assured her with a half-grin, "I don't mind the living room, and I'm sure Uriko doesn't either. She can have the couch, and I'll take the floor." He looked at his friend, who tilted her head to the side cutely, with a wide smile gracing her lips as she briefly hugged his arm to her form.

"Kenji, you don't have to be that generous," she persuaded him, inwardly joyous that he would be so considerate toward her condition, even though he had his own injuries to be nursed with sleep.

"It's not a problem, don't worry." He shook his head, refusing the proposal. "And Milyna, thank you so much for your hospitality. I honestly don't know what I can do to repay you and your mother."

_Oh, you can…_ The Indian girl managed a partial smile at him, and moved aside to let the pair step into her house, and she shut the door behind them. "Follow me, I'll show you where the living room is. Wait there while I go ask Mama if you can stay over tonight, okay?"

"All right." Kenji nodded in agreement, and helped his friend along as they walked through a short hallway to emerge into a new room that held a single two-cushioned couch. A long red carpet, with different colored patterns were etched into the fuzzy material, laid across the floor, and a tall lamp sat in the corner, gleaming light to liven up the area. _Huh, I must have been resting in Milyna or her mother's room this morning; this was where she and I were weaving baskets._ He realized, somehow feeling a bit discomforted at the thought of imposing by his bunking in a female resident's bedroom.

"She's nice, Kenji." Uriko remarked with a bright smile as she glanced at her surroundings, perking her cute button nose when she took in all the sights. "Aww, this place is really cute! Everything seems so un-modern, and… foreign. I mean, you'd see a lot more electronics in our houses back… home…" she choked up a bit at the word, then quickly discarded her wounded emotion to hide her yearning.

"Don't feel sad, Uriko." The cobalt-haired teenager murmured softly, lifting his hand up to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. "We'll be home tomorrow, I promise you."

"We're going to miss a day of school," she suddenly acknowledged, and giggled softly. "Not that I'm complaining about that, hehe. But we'll have to call in or something, or else we'll have to explain to Mother, Yugo, and Alice about why we were absent."

"Yeah, let's hope we sound convincing enough to pass for our guardians," he smirked slightly, and slung an arm around her shoulders, then slowly stroked his fingers through her tangled auburn hair.

"Hrmp! I'll have you know that they believed I was Mother when I called before in the past," she grinned and turned her head to the side, facing her friend, and she stuck her tongue out at him playfully.

"Oh, a truant girl, are you?" Kenji teased lightly, blowing a puff of air into her ear, laughing when he saw his friend giggle at his action. "I never knew there was this side of you."

"Hush!" She punched his arm very gently, then placed a fingertip on his bare chest, and poked him, while murmuring for only him to hear, "Be careful; I got claws and I know how to use them…"

"Oh! Ahem, excuse me…" A voice spoke up from behind the two; they turned around to face the new bystander in the room, and found Milyna standing a few feet away. She gaped at the duo, and since there was now enough light for her to closely inspect their current appearances, she gasped at the sight of the ninja, as he was naked from waist and above. Uriko seemed to be wearing the shirt that was a matched set of his navy blue outfit, and it was buttoned up, only revealing a bit of white skirt encircling her legs, ending at her knees. The Indian girl raised her hand to cover her mouth in surprise, and wanted to inquire of how they got to their battered conditions, but caught a hard, unnerving glint in Kenji's eyes, and changed her mind.

"I'm sorry for interrupting," she apologized with a faint smile, "But I just got back from talking to Mama, and she said it was okay for you two to stay here overnight. Has either of you eaten yet? Are you hungry?"

The Kenpo student felt her stomach growl quietly, and she blushed in embarrassment, ducking her head as she replied tentatively, "Mm, maybe just a little, heh…"

"Yes, I am too." her companion admitted, flushing a bit himself. "I'm sorry, we're imposing so much on you and your mother-"

"Oh, no, don't worry, you're not!" Their host quickly assured them, dismissing the issue with a wave of her hand. "It's been a while since we've had company in our house, so we're both glad to have you here. It sure beats being alone, right?" She pivoted and started to walk off in the opposite direction, gesturing for her guests to follow her. "Come, Mama will serve you both something to eat, and then you can go to sleep if you want."

The pair glanced at each other briefly, then nodded in agreement, and trailed after the girl into her kitchen, grateful for the kind hospitality shown by a complete stranger.

* * *

_Urgh… I wish she were awake. I need to know what happened, now. Uriko shouldn't be keeping these matters a secret from me anymore._

With the cool night breeze sweeping through his hair, Kenji lifted his chin up to glance at the sky, and the cluttered group of tiny stars winked back at him in response. He shifted his position and raised his knees so that he could wrap his arms around them, leaning comfortably against the stone wall of his host's house behind him. Judging by the current darkness, he guessed it was around midnight, and was unsure of how long it had been since he had finally decided to stop tossing and turning in attempt to fall asleep, get up and walk around. The stealthy teenager had snuck out of the vicinity, contemplated waking his friend up for company, but decided against it, and spent some time sitting by himself outside.

Although the ninja stopped liking the concept of being alone, he appreciated the feeling now, and yet he could not deny the fact that he missed the presence of his zoanthrope compatriot. He direly wanted to find out what information she held in regards to the later incidents that occurred in the palace earlier, after he had gotten knocked unconscious by the rotten, sorry excuse of a prince. Something impacting and serious must have happened, and that made him want to know all the more, but he also liked to respect her decision and wait until she was comfortable enough to tell him. He elicited a sigh of impatience, and tried to soothe the curious daggers poking at his consciousness that urged him to have his answers revealed at that very instant.

"Oh, my… K-Kenji? Is that you out there?"

_Is that Uriko? _The sixteen-year-old jolted in surprise at the new voice, and silently hoped that the person was who he wanted it to be, while quickly turning to identify the speaker. She stepped out past the front door, kept it half-open behind her, and proceeded forward until she was standing next to him, and he felt a twinge of disappointment. "Oh, hi, Milyna. Couldn't sleep?"

She shook her head. "No. I was napping earlier today, so I don't feel very tired now." She peered at him curiously, a slight smile tugging at her lips. "And how about you?"

Kenji shrugged nonchalantly, keeping his emotions well hidden inside as he glanced at her briefly, and plastered a wry half-grin on his expression. "Heh, I think I may have slept too much the last time I was at your house. I can't sleep a wink now."

"I'm sorry…" she pouted slightly, and ducked her head to emphasis her abashment, tucking her hands behind her back in a show of shyness.

"No, don't you apologize," he insisted, with a sigh of regret. "I should be the one saying sorry for intruding in your home. I mean, I thank you for your generosity and kindness, but I find it amazing that you can trust a stranger so easily, and treat him as if he were a family acquaintance." He smiled fondly. "Your friendliness will get you far in life, and reward you with many new companions."

"Th-thank you," Milyna blushed at his complimenting words, and sneaked a peek at him, chuckling when she noticed he was looking down at the shirt she had given to him to wear for sleep, and had begun to pick at the material. "Y-You know, that was my Papa's shirt."

The ninja glanced up, surprised at her sudden blurt-out, and by the strangeness of her information, but he quickly recovered and nodded sympathetically. "He… Your father, is he on a business trip of some sort? I notice only you and your mother living here…"

She shook her head, and felt her eyes mist up at the mention. "My-my Papa… he left us a few years ago. He ran off to marry another woman in the next closest village east from here. I was only ten when my Mama suddenly had to take care of me by herself, and she always told me that Papa was on vacation, because she hoped that he would come back someday." A sniffle from her drifted into the air. "But he never did…"

"I…I'm sorry for your loss." Kenji took a step toward her and placed his hand on her shoulder comfortingly. "It, it must have been hard for you and your mother to adjust to the new situation so abruptly."

She nodded mechanically, and raised her arm to wipe away the tears that had began to slide down her cheeks. "Yes, it was… Mama didn't want to remarry; for fear that this would happen to her again, so it's been just the two of us since Papa left. She barely allows me out of the house, and she won't let me leave this village because she's afraid that I'll meet someone that wants to court me who will do what Papa did to her. Mama wants to find a boy _for_ me, but goodness knows how long that will take, since she works everyday, and doesn't seem to think that I should get married anytime soon."

"Hmm." The mole zoanthrope angled his head slightly. "Well, maybe she's thinking of what's best for you, since you're young right now. I know that my brother wouldn't want me to get married anytime soon either, heh, heh."

"But many of the other girls in our village were married off when they were younger than me!" Milyna exclaimed indignantly, jutting out her chin in defiance. "And besides, I get laughed at and mocked because I'm already sixteen, and I've never even been courted by a boy before."

He nodded empathetically. "I know how that feels. Back at home, I've never really dated anyone before. Or at least, not the kind that meets other people's standards."

"You…you've never courted a girl?" Her widened eyes stared at him in shock. "But, but you're so kind and understanding! And, and not to mention quite handsome too!" Blush crept up on her cheeks at her admission. "Does your brother forbid you from taking girls out?"

"Well, no, as a matter of fact, he encourages me to date. It's just that, I don't feel I have enough time to do so, since I want to concentrate on my school studies, and such." Kenji confessed with a slight shrug. "There's more to life than going out on dates, although I'm sure if you asked some of my fellow school peers, they would say otherwise." He chuckled at the memory of some of his classmates moaning in distress when faced with the possibility of spending a weekend alone at home.

"That's very noble and righteous of you," she commended him, displaying a bright smile at his conscientiousness. "Oh, I bet Mama wouldn't frown upon a boy that wanted to court me if he were like you…"

"I can't say, since I don't know your mother," he replied weakly, coughing a bit in distraction. Then all of a sudden, the Indian girl lurched toward him and wrapped her arms around his neck, squeezing him tightly with her head laid against his chest. He jerked in surprise, but her vice-like grip prevented him from stepping away, and he exclaimed, "Wh-what are you-?!"

"Oh, Kenji, must you go home in the morning?" She cut him off, snuggling closer to his form with a content sigh. "Isn't there the slightest chance that you could stay here? You could live with Mama and I, and we'll take care of you. By the way that she was talking about you, she thinks pretty highly of you, considering the other boys in the past that she's badmouthed before."

"Milyna, I-I can't do that." He refused, shaking his head as he struggled to leave her embrace, while inwardly feeling astonished that he would be asked to consider such an inane proposition. "I have to go back to Japan, I can't just leave my family there, I still need to graduate from school, my life is at home."

"But you would fit in _so well_ here," she insisted, keeping her hold on the boy. "I don't know about what Mama would say, but I think you'd be the perfect one for me to marry when she lets me."

"We don't even know each other…!"

"Well, we can get to know each other! That's why I asked you to stay; over time, it'll be like we've been friends all our lives." Milyna tilted her head up and smiled dazzlingly at him. "Come on, Kenji. This'll work out for the both of us; your brother wants you to date, I want a boy to court me and I like you, can't you see how great it'll be?"

_Does everyone here have marriage on the brain or something…?! _For a moment, he considered her idea, even though his initiative thought was that she had to be pretty desperate to pick up the first boy that took refuge in her home. If he lived in India with this girl and her mother, then the promise of a marriage would come along with it, and he would not have to worry about growing up without a life partner by his side. And Milyna was a stranger to him, but she had taken a great risk herself by trusting him, taking in a completely foreign to her house, and nursing him back to health. But her scent told him that she was an ordinary human being; if she knew that he was a zoanthrope, surely she would become frightened and would not want to accept him then.

He turned back to glance at her, and found the girl raising herself up on her tiptoes, and leaning her face toward his. "No-!" Kenji told her forcefully, and gripped her arms tightly, pushing them down away from his body, making her stumble back in the momentum. She fell to the ground with a pained cry, and he instantly regretted his action, but then he reminded himself that she was the one that came onto him first. Milyna threw him a rueful glare from her seated position, and slowly arose to her feet, looking at him silently for a few minutes before whirling around, and darting into the security of her house.

The ninja gazed after her retreating figure, guilt pricking his conscience for letting her off so harshly, and yet somewhere inside him, he knew that she deserved such a rejection. He sighed remorsefully, and hung his head as he begun to stroll toward the residence in suit, shutting the door behind him, walking down the short hallway to the living room, where his sleeping quarters was. A sudden gasp broke into the air, coming from some distance to his left, and his attention immediately jerked in the corresponding direction. For a second, he feared that it was Milyna doing something she would regret later, but he discovered that the noise was emitting from the couch, where his friend lay.

"Uhh… no…!" A strangled cry blurted aloud that was coupled with rustles of movement and distressed moaning, and his heart clenched in concern.

"Uriko…" the dark-haired teenager breathed, and rushed over to her location, crashing to his knees when he descended to her level, and grabbed a hold of her shoulders with both hands, shaking her hard. "Uriko, wake up!"


	34. Comfort

****

Comfort

The auburn-haired girl shifted her leg when a gnawing, warm ache began to irk at her ankles, flinching as it continued to travel up and the pain increased to a burning sensation. She twisted her lower body away from what felt like flames licking at her skin, but restraints bounded her movement and prevented her escape. 

All the while, low mocking laughter drifted by her ears, and she silently condemned whomever was enjoying the torture session that she was being forced to endure. The teenager cried out, begging for relief of the person in the same vicinity as herself, but received no help, and had to suffer alone, with wicked snickering taunting her hearing senses.

_Oh, please… If I'm gonna die, make it quick, stop dragging it out…_ she pleaded in her mind, biting her lip instinctively until she felt the coppery taste of blood staining her tongue.

A shadowy presence appeared before her face, and fanned sour, heated breath on her smooth skin as the Kenpo student wearily looked up. _"You deserve this… There is no one to blame… but yourself."_

_That's not true…!_ She denied inwardly, starting to struggle and bent her legs as close to her chest as she could, trying to dodge the fire trickling down over her body.

_"Your fault… your fault… your fault…"_

The words danced around in her subconscious-ness as the flames suddenly disappeared, the tight pressure of binds encircling her wrists and ankles were gone, and instead she felt herself being slammed to the ground. She winced when her back landed, acknowledged tears prickling at her eyes, and could barely conceal her squeal of fear when pressure pressed against her throat. Hard, lean length covered her form, and warmth immediately flickered at her nerves, bringing the girl a strange feeling of security and comfort, even though she knew her life was in the hands of a killer. She wanted the consolation from her friend, so she placed trust in his actions, but her suspicious side screamed at her to knock him away, and escape before he proved how good of an assassin he was.

Quickly becoming short of breath, Uriko felt her head spin dazedly as her eyes rolled around listlessly, and her hands reached out to grope at the air, but her arms were pinned down. Pale light shone in her line of sight, making her blink at the blinding sensation, and wondered in the back of her mind if this was her purgatory before she died. Her heart pounded frantically as it struggled to receive oxygen to continue its job in her body, and a sliver of her consciousness knew that the pace was beating so fast partially because of her affections for the ninja. This was her chance to redeem herself before it was too late, and she parted her lips to emit the words that would admit her feelings, but only a shrill squeak came out.

Just then, as if her guardian angel had heard her pleas to live, whatever that had been squeezing her throat down lifted itself from her, and air rushed into her starving lungs. She gasped at the pain that came with the precious oxygen that suddenly was granted to her, and with a quick moment's recovery, slowly crawled to her knees. Shaking her head as things came into focus, Uriko blinked and rubbed her eyes with the back of one hand, then glanced at the crouched figure sitting a short distance away from her position. The aura that invoked the mysterious person's surroundings made her recoil in fear, but her curiosity melded with her courage to proceed over to the bystander's side.

_He will be the death of you._ A voice abruptly informed the girl, cold and to the point with its icy, merciless tone, and yet it sounded very much like her own. _Your life will end by his hands, and he'll enjoy killing you. You're going to die because of him, idiot. _Her head swam dizzily at the persuasive words, but she managed to grit her teeth persistently and keep going, despite the threats that continued noising. _You first met him, and he was a skilled assassin! He still is a killer now, what makes you think he would make an exception for you?! Get away before it's too late to save yourself!_

As she plopped down on her bottom, hesitation shook her composure, and her hands went up to clasp together, resting between her bosom, and her head dipped down in suit as a sign of resignation. She paused to run the possibilities through her mind, and in the end; her strong emotions for him won over the cowardly part of her that strove to convince her to run away. Pushing it back, the feline drew closer to her friend, and timidly placed a shaking hand on his shoulder, feeling slightly relieved when he moved out of her reach. But determination surged in her veins, pushing her to persist the issue, and almost reluctantly, the girl followed each scoot of his retraction.

He finally stopped increasing the space separating the two, seeing as the Kenpo student would not let him get away, and spoke harsh words, all the while growling at her. Familiarity pricked her senses and she listened to him speaking, reciting the same phrases he had said earlier when they shared the conversation at the palace. This time, however, warmth settled in her heart as she paid close attention to the passionate tone in his voice, and heard the truth that the assassin was sublimely expressing. She believed that Kenji really did care about her, but she was not sure to what extent and if he could ever gather up the courage to tell her his feelings.

__

"…You had better hope he has enough control to keep me in check, because next time, I **will** kill you." Just remembering his words made her shiver at the thought, and she wrapped her arms around herself in pseudo-comfort, closing her eyes when iciness bit at her senses._ "I promise that. You are his number one priority, the person who influences and persuades his decisions the most, and that is why you must be eliminated first." And_ then the devilish counterpart shrunk back into her friend's body, letting him regain control for the time being, lying beneath the clouded surface, waiting for the right moment to strike again.

His sworn words sunk into her mind, shocking her into the realization of how deeply the assassin meant what he said, and she shivered at the chill that settled over her senses. She tried to fight back the images that darted into her head, but was helpless to do otherwise and just watched horrifying scenarios unfold that her own fear created by itself. Shots of her friend in mole form violently slashing away at her throat and face made her quiver frightfully, and she could almost feel his deadly claws drawing blood from her as they sunk into her neck. Her courage was slowly diminishing, leaving Uriko with only dread and dismay, and her hands shot up, fingers going to clutch at her temples in effort to force the gruesome pictures out.

_"Uhh… no…!" _She bit her lip as tears stung her eyes, and a few dribbled down her cheeks. _H-he wouldn't do that to me…_ _Kenji… Kenji is my friend; he'd never hurt me intentionally…_ But even her protests sounded weak to her ears, and the young female moaned and began to thrash her body about wildly, resisting the urge to succumb to the taunts inside her head. A falling sensation startled her into tipping her head up to glance at her surroundings, and she could only see intense darkness, shadowy shapes extending out, reaching for her. She shrieked when a firm presence caught a hold of both her shoulders, and the girl instantly twisted to get away from the new imprisonment, flinging her arms around with her hands poised stiffly and nails ready to scratch and claw.

Whoever had her in possession shook her hard, making her head bob forward and back, while a hissed voice insistently, _"Uriko, wake up!"_ She groaned softly and feebly attacked, reveling in the sound of a howl when she felt skin break underneath the sharpened tips of her penetrating fingers. _"Leave me alone…"_ the girl mumbled in refusal when she was being shaken again.

_"Uriko! It's me, Kenji! Come on… wake up! Please…"_

_Kenji? _Her drowsy mind inquired, her feral attitude softening, and then a dreamy smile curved her lips at the mention of her dear friend. _Well, okay, if it's for Kenji…_ She slowly slid her eyelids up, blinking sleepily at the shadow-cloaked person before her, and instinctively raised her hand to touch and make sure she was not hallucinating. The second that her palm grazed against the rough surface of a cheek, Uriko was immediately lifted into a sitting position as strong arms wrapped around her upper body. A shrill squeak elicited from her throat in surprise at the abrupt action, and it took a while for her to acknowledge that a voice was murmuring hushed whispers into her ear.

"Uriko…" Warm breath heated her bare lobe, making her tingle. "Sweet kitten… you scared me out of my mind. I don't know what kind of nightmare you were having, but I'll bring hell to whoever caused you to suffer through it…"

"K-Kenji…" she adjusted the position of her hands to clutch at her friend's waist, gripping his shirt tightly, seeking comfort in his embrace. "Stay with me… please. Don't go; I don't want to fall asleep alone…"

"I'm not leaving you." The ninja assured her firmly, spreading his hands out over her back and starting to gently rub her tensed muscles, sighing remorsefully when she began to cry. Her slender figure quivered with each sob that shook her shoulders, and he released a barely audible growl, damning the nightmare that tore at her consciousness and attacked her usually strong resolve. Kenji shifted to press his cheek to hers, feeling the thin strands of her long brown hair etching into his skin, and the ends of her bangs tickle his chin. He held her tighter, and faintly felt the pulsating, frantic beat of her heart pounding against his chest, silently expressing her currently distressed state, and need for comfort.

"I-I was scared… I sh-shouldn't have been, but I was, a lot…!" Uriko wept bitterly, sounding disgusted at herself for feeling such a way toward her friend, who she should have trusted without a doubt. "I-I…"

"What… what were you scared about?" the dark-haired teenager asked her quietly, not wanting to prod her and make her think that he was rudely nosing into her private business.

"Ah-…" she choked on her words, realizing that she could not tell him her fears, and panicked as she wondered what to say instead, wailing melancholically, "C-Cronos killed our baby…!"

He immediately stiffened after she emitted the sentence, and slowly pulled back, keeping his hands on her shoulders, and gazed intensely into her chocolate brown eyes as he questioned hoarsely, "Uriko… what do you mean…?"

Now that she had trapped herself, there was no escaping the truth; and since he had been the father of their unborn child, he had a right to know what pain the prince had caused the both of them. She hung her head down low, and mumbled very softly, "I… was pregnant…"

The girl felt his fingers shake, and his grip loosened considerably as the pace of his breathing increased and he inquired, "That… that night at the hotel…?"

"Y-yes…" Uriko nodded numbly, shrinking back away from him when he fell silent and his palms slid off from their previous position. He exhaled sharply, and she could feel her outburst sinking into his mind, and a quiet, fiery aura of contained anger toying with the air surrounding his body.

"The drugs that you spoke of earlier, when we were still back at the palace, was that how he… how that bastard took away our child?" Her companion questioned, piercing iciness biting at his tone.

She did not answer verbally, and instead nodded slightly in response, all the while letting wet tears slick down her cheeks, and drip off of her chin to fall into her lap. The intensity of his fury increased, and she could hear his breathing become more harsh as he released a threatening growl that made her raise her eyes and glance at him. A chilling possibility arose in her mind that in his current touchy and vulnerable state, it could allow Bakuryu to re-surface and take over his control to help let out his anger. The sixteen-year-old girl leaned forward, and hesitantly encircled his neck with her arms, cringing at the stiffness of his body pressing against hers. "K-Kenji?"

"I should have killed him." Came his lowly muttered statement that made her flinch, and then she shivered at the threat in his voice. "He needs to pay for what he did to you… to us." He hissed, ire lacing his tone as he continued, "I'm going back to the palace tomorrow, and make sure that he gets what he deserves…"

"No, Kenji," she persuaded him, retracting to peer at him. "I-I think he's already dead… Remember, we saw him earlier this afternoon…? Th-that's why the big chubby guy was so angry at us, be-because we killed his prince…"

"I hope for your sake that is dead, otherwise I would confirm it myself…" he shook his head. "But, if you don't want me to go…"

"I don't. I want you to stay here… with me," Uriko insisted with a quick jerk of her chin as she looked away shyly, avoiding the curious eyes of her companion. "I'm pretty sure the palace's security is gonna be increased a lot; I bet they don't want all that ruckus like what happened earlier today to go on again. But… I wonder what this country will do without its leader…"

"I hardly believe that _Prince_ Cronos was their leader." Kenji voiced dryly, while inwardly, spiteful thoughts were forming. _If it were so, then India is in a lot of trouble, placing faith in an obsessive, selfish, psychopathic kidnapper that would torture innocent people like Uriko to get what he wants._ All he revealed of his opinions were, "India deserves better."

She released a heavy sigh and sat back, leaning against the couch behind her, propping up her knees against her chest and glancing into empty space absentmindedly. "I can't wait to go home tomorrow…"

"Don't you mean, later today?" The ninja corrected her playfully as he arose from the floor, and took a seat next to his friend, grinning slightly as he informed her, "I think it's after midnight by now."

"Sure doesn't feel like it…" the girl murmured softly, scrunching her neck, then she scooted over closer to Kenji, and tentatively leaned toward him, laying her head on his shoulder. "Must be the time difference…"

"Perhaps." He agreed, and sighed listlessly as he rested his cheek atop her nest of silky brown hair, his arm instinctively raising to stretch out, slipping through the thin slit between her lower back and the couch. His hand found her waist, his palm immediately cupped her side and the rough material of her tan-colored dress - Milyna had given it to her earlier after dinner - tickled his fingers. A contented noise drifted out from his lips when the girl wrapped her arms around his form, and snuggled her face into the curved concave of his neck, the tip of her nose daintily nudging his pulse. He took a deep breath, and inhaled a delicate scent from her long tress, as well as a sweet soapy smell; both had presumably come from the shower she had taken before going to bed.

"Kenji?"

The mole zoanthrope shook his head into focus, and replied, "Yes?"

"When we… when we go back home, do you think we should tell Mother, Yugo, and Alice what happened to us?"

He blinked and stared off blankly for a moment, contemplating her question, and finally answered truthfully, "…I don't know. On one hand, they probably have the right to know the ongoings that occurred, but then again, we may just be putting them through a lot of unnecessary worry. I mean, we were able to handle everything by ourselves, so I don't know if telling our guardians will significantly change the situation. It's not as if they could go back and time and erase it all from existence."

"I think Yugo's gonna blow a gasket when he sees the credit card bill…" she couldn't help eliciting her giggles. "I hope that you'll get to them in the mailbox first before he does, hehe."

"I intend to pay him back each and every cent that I spent." Kenji insisted, nudging the girl in her side in teasing retaliation. "It's almost summer; I can start working again soon. My boss called the other day, and asked me when I was getting out of school."

"Aww, you're such a good boy, Kenji." A smile tugged at her lips as she heard him groan warily at the mention. "No, really, you are! Not like it's a bad thing anyway; it sure gets you pretty positive attention from teachers, authoritarian people, other adults… and don't forget the girls at our school."

"Actually, I wouldn't mind doing so," he told her, grimacing at the faint memory of Wendy Kesler toying around with him; even though it had been a few weeks since that incident, he doubted that he would ever forget what she did to him at the prom. "I'm not interested in ditzy girls without a clue about what they want to do with their life, and the farthest they think regarding their futures is where their next date will be."

She shook her head in disagreement. "My friends aren't like that. Hey, you know Erika after all, she's the one who's always dissing other girls who act like sluts because she thinks pre-marital engagements are really immoral. I… I just hope that she wouldn't think any less of _me_ because of… what you and I did." Her voice grew whispery and soft.

"You're not… going to tell her, are you?" His expression turned slightly stricken, and his body stiffened in apprehension at the thought of the intimate details in his private life being exposed.

"Oh please, of course not!" The Kenpo student slugged him on his side gently; feeling a bit appalled that he would ever think she could do such a violating, unthinkable thing to him. "I'm not one of those annoying gossipers - I'd rather stay the heck away from them then join in their stupid conversations. What happened between us, will stay between us, Kenji."

He nodded, and shifted to bend down and brush a feathery kiss against the side of his friend's forehead before he continued speaking, remarking apologetically, "I trust you. I'm sorry, Uriko, I didn't mean to sound like I doubted you; I just hate the thought of my privacy being invaded, you know what I mean? Certain things that I don't express anything publicly means that I want them to stay inside, so that no one else will know about them except for myself."

"It's… okay…" she assured him, stifling a yawn that threatened to escape, and her eyes strove to close shut as her mind pressured the girl to relax and go to sleep in the warm, secure embrace of her comforting companion. Uriko blinked tiredly, and instinctively moved to bury her face into his neck, her cheek coming into contact with his skin several times during her shuffling. The feline felt a purr rumble deep within her throat when she adjusted herself into a soothing, cozy position, and snuggled closer to her friend. He jolted in surprise at her actions, but very soon went along with her, and even boldly lifted his leg to drape it over both of her thighs in a possessive notion.

"K…Kenji?" she mewed softly in question, lifting her chin to glance up at him, adoration and trust lying within the pools of her dark brown eyes. She seemed clearly comfortable with being so close to him, snug in his arms, and did not express any signs of expecting anything inane to come from him. The amount of faith she placed in him gave the ninja an incredible sense of responsibility, yet he felt warmth surging through his body when she gave him a small assuring smile. It was all very encouraging, and her invisible strength transferred over to Kenji, making it easier for him to try something that he had been too frightened and cowardly to attempt in the past.

"Uriko…" he breathed quietly, intoxicated by her very essence as his head swooped down and he clumsily bumped into her nose before finding her lips. She cooed softly and emitted a little sigh of contentment as she timidly responded to his kiss, her hands scouring around his waist to hold onto him a bit tighter. His arms elevated to a higher, more convenient level, and his fingers stole through the thin strands of her long auburn hair, gently threading the silky tress. He knew that his friend was enjoying every bit of his attention, if her dainty purring indicated how the young teenage girl felt about his embraces.

A few feet away from the couple, a dark head poked out briefly to glance at the cause of the low murmuring that had been going on for quite a while, and then disappeared back into the shadows, while a defeated sigh was elicited up into the air. Cloaked in the dim lighting, Milyna pressed her hands against her heart, and rested her back on the wall, lowering her eyes to look down at the ground at the shame slicing through her. She had never considered the possibility of the object of her affections having feelings for another girl; he had claimed to have never dated before, after all. Chuckling softly at her stupidity, the Indian youth straightened her posture, and left her eavesdropping post, starting to pad toward her own room to go to sleep.


	35. Leave

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Leave

"Uriko, we have to hurry."

"Oh come on, just give me a second! Please? I'll never get another chance to look at all these cute little things again…"

Kenji suppressed the urge to release a sigh of slight exasperation, but he had to admit that his friend's enthusiasm in their current situation was rather warm and assuring. The pair was traveling back toward the airport that brought them to the present country in the first place, but they kept getting stopped because the feline liked to pause and coo over the many shops aligning the villages they passed by. Everything just had to be examined by her curious, seeking eyes, and although she knew nothing could be purchased, she was perfectly content with browsing through the miscellaneous items scattered over the display tables of the sales places.

But as she remained distracted, it allowed the young ninja to brood over the sudden-changing events that had occurred since the comforting, fateful previous night. After they shared countless tender, spine tingling kisses, a silent admission of their friendship, it wasn't long before he and Uriko fell asleep in each other's arms. Finally, the inevitable that they both had been confused about for weeks was solved, and they could be together, and start their new, romantic relationship. What he felt for her was far too deep and intense for him to continue just being her friend, and he was relieved that she wanted to move forward with him.

The only thing that Kenji found strange was, when the duo had left Milyna's residence that morning, the Indian girl had seemed rather friendly toward the two, and even smiled at him as she bid them farewell and a safe trip back home. But he couldn't complain that her serene display was unwanted; it was certainly more preferable over a different attitude that she could have given him after he had shoved her to the ground. And now, with no more obstacles standing in his way - well, aside from the fact that he would eventually have to confront his brother in regards to the credit card bill, he and the feline zoanthrope could now return home.

"Huh, they must really like elephants here…" Uriko mused quietly as she tilted her head while inspecting a wooden elephant statue that resembled some of the others she had seen before. "These are okay-looking and all, but why does this have so many arms…?"

"The god that majority of Indians worship is an elephant idol named Ganesha." Her companion explained, sliding over and standing adjacent to her location, sending the small object a quick, amused glance before averting his attention back to the girl. "His many arms symbolize his countless boundaries of wisdom that he sympathizes towards his people."

"Wow, really? …Aww, now where would I be without my walking almanac?" She teased Kenji lightly, grinning as she gently poked the tip of his nose, and continued speaking as the two started walking along the dirt path of the current village, "Hmm, you're probably the only person that stayed awake back in Advanced World History…"

"What my peers may find boring interested me," he answered casually, shrugging his shoulders. "I like to learn new things; acquire more information about the world around me. I wish that the other students at our school would show just the slightest bit of enthusiasm for education."

"Hey, I don't mind school that much!" Uriko protested with an insistent shake of her head. "I mean, I get to be with my friends more often, and it's fun to go to some of dances and other things organized by the school, you know? I just hate math is all…" She wrinkled her nose and briefly stuck out her tongue in slight revulsion to emphasize her feelings about the aforementioned subject.

"Hmm, I like it." The ninja input with a small smile, slipping an arm around her waist in comfort, briefly nuzzling her neck, brushing stray strands of her long silky hair with his lips. "And you know that if you have trouble with math problems, you can ask me for help anytime."

"Yup, I still haven't forgotten a couple of weeks ago when you did my homework for me that one night, remember? That was so sweet of you, Kenji." She turned to look at him and winked when a slight flush crept up on his cheeks at the mention, then gently tapped him on the nose with her finger. "Oh, don't be embarrassed, I promise you won't have to do it again, teehee."

He shook his head. "I'm not worried about that. Frankly, if it was completing a task for you, I doubt that I would mind doing so at all." During his admission, he glanced away, still being a bit bashful about their newly born relationship, careful in not revealing his intense feelings for her too soon. The last thing Kenji wanted to do was scare the feline off, since he was only aware that she liked him, and had no idea how she would react if she knew that his very soul burned with fiery emotions for her mere presence to be around him. He wanted nothing more than for her just to be by his side, and was severely baffled by the way his heart pounded furiously everytime she turned to look at him with a soft smile gracing her pale pink lips.

_What is this that I'm feeling…? _The sixteen-year-old male allowed a frown to mar his brows as he pondered over the peculiar sensation of the lightness fluttering in his stomach. When he paused to glance around, Uriko wiggled out of his embrace, and pranced off to another stand, appearing excited as she looked at the brightly-colored jewels of homemade necklaces. He brushed his hands against the pant sides of his navy blue school uniform, and was surprised to feel dirt clinging to his fingers; a quick glance down told him that his palms were sticky with sweat. _Huh, I know it's hot here, but…_

His eyes flickered in the girl's direction, and when he spotted a young man fawning over a ring that she was trying on, he was hit with an impulse to walk there and lead her away. _What?! That guy's just talking to her, no harm in that! There's nothing I can oppose about mere conversation… I… Urgh, this is so strange._ Kenji shut his eyes and his head fell backward as he released a heavy sigh before straightening his posture and patiently waiting for his companion to come back to his side. He scoured the area at a level above the various stone buildings about the place, and spied familiar pointy towers nearby that he recognized were atop the airport.

"U-Uriko!" the ninja called as he pivoted to gaze at the girl. "I see the airport, it's close! We can go home!" His pupils shone with excitement at the thought of soon being in the warm comforts of his native country, and Uriko seemed to feel the same way, if her squealing and immediately running over to hug him tightly was any indication. Taking her hand in his, he led her in the direction of his sighting, and they hastily crossed the distance to their destination, visions of their respective rooms lingering within their minds. Both teenagers heaved huge twin breaths of relief when they passed the automatic sliding doors, and stepped into the cool, air-conditioned building.

"I'll have to use this one more time…" Kenji murmured quietly, slipping his free hand into his pocket and pulling out his sibling's credit card as the two were riding the escalator up to the ticket counters. "The bill will be _enormous_. I don't know how I'm going to explain this to Yugo."

"Do you think that you can grab the bill in the mail before he sees it?" The Kenpo student bit her lip in concern, and dipped her head down in a display of shame. "You know, I'll help you pay it off, since it's my fault that you had to buy plane tickets to fly all the way out here…"

"No! It's not your fault, Uriko, it was that ruthless bastard, Dakinasha." He insisted forcefully, practically spitting the accursed name out as his eyes clouded over with anger. The auburn-haired girl gently shushed him and took his arm, guiding him off the moving steps and the two strolled over to the counters where airline tickets were being sold. Nodding to show that he understood to keep his current emotions under control, the male youth presented the credit card to the saleswoman, and purchased two seats for the next flight to Japan. There was only a fifteen-minute period before the passengers would start to board the plane, so the pair used the restrooms and rushed back.

The loudspeakers flickered on just then, and announced in English after murmuring something in Indian, "…Attention passengers, Flight 208 to Japan is now boarding at Gate 9. Repeat, flight 208 to Japan is now boarding at Gate 9."

Looking up in the direction that the voice had boomed from, Kenji quickly glanced at the tickets in his hands, and informed his companion, "That's us. Let's go, home isn't far now."

"Yeah, I can't wait…" the auburn-haired girl breathed in relief, and gently clutched a hold of his arm, laying her head onto his shoulder as the couple walked toward the gate, where a flight attendant was waiting to let passengers board.

Ignoring the other people around, a small smile played over his lips as the ninja rubbed against the loose strands of the long silky tress that periodically brushed against his cheek during their trek through the walkway that would lead to their plane. He shifted a little to peer over at his partner, and chuckled softly when he saw that her eyes were half-closed, and the quiet mews emitted from her soothed his ears. She truly looked angelic, and the quickening pace of his heart at that moment jolted him to attention, but this time, he felt that he had gained some understanding over these strange new sensations suddenly making themselves aware.

His feelings for the feline zoanthrope were strong enough to the point that when she was abducted from her home and brought to India, it was as if a large portion of his soul had been carved out. A thick hand clenched around his heart, suffocating his lungs and the grip only loosened when he found the girl again, and they were finally reunited after his grueling, nerve-wracking search for her in the foreign country. She completed him, and made him whole, helped uncover the hidden aspects of his being that he never would have thought to look for or find without her persistence. For the first time in his life, it felt like he could be sure about a part of himself, and he knew there was no doubt in his mind that he wanted someone by his side for each future passing day, and that was Uriko.

Kenji glanced down at his significant other, and a perfectly content look formed over his expression, as he hugged her to his side more closely, and they slowly continued strolling along the pathway to reach their flight and finally return home.

*****

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…Well, I suppose as long as he's happy…

A shrill sigh escaped into the air as the young Indian girl plucked the remaining petal off of the flower that she held in her grasp, and threw the thin stem into the grass. She sighed heavily and brushed away the dirt clinging to the cotton material of her skirt as she stood up from her sitting position, intending to leave the field and start walking in the direction leading back to her village. The afternoon sun was slowly slipping behind the mountains far in the horizon, and she knew that her mother would get worried if she did not go back to her residence by dinnertime. Milyna took one last glance around the place, and took notice to a crouched figure in shrouded clothing sitting behind a short tree just a few yards away from her location.

Slightly pursing her lips in curiosity, she decreased the short distance, and asked timidly when she was within hearing range; "H-hello? Excuse me, it's getting late… Do you need help finding your way home? Are you lost?"

The mysterious bystander slowly arose to thin, gold plate-covered feet, and pivoted to shine eyes of eerie yellow eyes at her, with pale jade strands of hair flowing freely in the steady breeze.

*****

Two weeks later, Yugo grabbed an apple off of the counter as he swung by the kitchen, holding the day's mail in his other hand and proceeding over to the dining chairs. Munching into the juicy red fruit, he sat back comfortably, and ripped open the first envelope, and then unfolded the letter inside; his eyes scanned the contents, and they bulged widely. A choking noise erupted in his throat and he emitted a gargle as he slumped down in his seat, passing out from the shock of what he saw. Fortunately for him, Alice walked into the same room a few seconds later, and gasped aloud as she quickly rushed to his side to inspect him and tend to his condition.

Completely oblivious of the scenario that was unfolding on the floor beneath him, Kenji perfected the final adjustments to his bed, making it appear like he was sleeping underneath the covers. With a cool smirk, he gripped his dark blue duffel bag tightly in one hand, quickly crossed over to the window, and pushed open the frames. Positioning his feet onto the sill, the cobalt-haired ninja stepped outside and closed the windowpanes behind him before carefully leaping off, landing on the ground. There were still a few days before Mitsuko Nonomura would return from her trip, and he wanted to be with Uriko, keep her company until her mother came back and interrupted their peaceful, private little world together.

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The End

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Author's Note: And I finished another Bloody Roar novel! Yeeee! *runs off to bask in the warmth of LAZEE rays* ^.~ For those of you that stuck around so long to see the conclusion of this story, THANK YOU SO MUCH! This novel was for all of you readers that faithfully stuck by me as I took a painstakingly long time to complete the entire thing. You bugged me about the updates in e-mail, IM, reviews, pleaded for the next part to be written and uploaded quickly, and I did try my best to comply. I just started college three days ago, so I was taking a little time to adjust to the new scene before finding some free space to fit in finishing this novel.

I also want to say that I'm very proud of this production, and really can't express how truly grateful I am to you wonderful fans for reading and liking this story of mine. 181 pages written over a period of six and a half months, good lord, I have no freaking life. _o; Well, I still enjoyed every second of it, and wouldn't take anything back for the world. =) It's really nice to spend so much time doing something that you enjoy very much, and get to please others by doing so too… But hey, to you fabulous readers, I want to thank you again, and I hope that those of you interested in my works will take a look at my next story in production!

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I would like to personally thank the following:

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AKA: Hey there, little one! =) Just kidding, don't get mad at me, teehee. You're one of my favorite fans, with our shared interests in the BR couples, and stubbornness to believe in what we liked even though others threatened to shatter our dreams. Never lose hope, and know that I'll always be there to support your opinions, just as you do mine. Keniko and Jang for life!!

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Alica Tylon: You were the very first review for Sanguine Promise, so brownie points to you for getting the honor and bragging rights! ^_~ Even though I think that you lost interest in the late Chapter 20s and onward, I still want to thank you for being around so long. I wish you the best on your own fic, and don't forget to check back on me periodically if you still would like to read my new stories sometimes, okay?

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CaTigeReptile: Don't ever think that people don't appreciate your Equilibrium fic, ya hear? The majority of the readers in the Ro3K category love your story, and that should be enough to convince you that it's great, quality work! I can't wait until you update again; just don't make it too long of a wait. =D We really must get together sometime and work on a book, so IM me when you have time to chat!

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Dalhallyn: Sis, what would I do without your constant support and persistence that I hurry up and get out the next part of SP soon? Probably be taking a longer time to finish this story, that's what, LoL! ^.^ You were one of the most aspiring readers of my novel, and I want you to know how much I appreciated you sticking by me. Stay sweet, dear sister.

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Durk: The reluctant reviewer! :P Hmm, reviewing isn't SO bad now, is it? All ya do is type in your thoughts, and make the author happy by a crisp, single click of a button, simple, no? Teehee, thanks for bugging me about updating SP, it was a very nice reminder that some readers out there really cared and wanted to see new parts up ASAP. I hope that you will be the nagger on my next BR fic to come. *wink*

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Expert Predator: If I could transfer the golden gleams of the sunrays over to you, I really would. I'm hoping that reading SP cheered you up at some times when you were down, and if not, then maybe my humor pieces did? ^^0 As long as I'm of some use to picking your spirits up, LoL. :P Don't forget about me; you're still one of my best friends, and just know that I care a lot about you.

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Im-35: Can I be expecting more of your wacky Canadian humor fic anytime soon? Come on, it's been a while since you last updated, get your rear in gear and write! LoL, sorry for the pressure, but I do adore that fic, it's really cute, got light romance, and CRONOS KILLING! MWAHAHAHAHA! *cough, cough* Ahem, you get the picture… ^^0 Keep up the great work! I want to see new stuff up!

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Keniko Curt: What's up, my friend? Thanks a ton for reading and reviewing SP even though a lot of times; you were busy with other stuff online. I'm glad that you finished your first BR fic, but don't forget about your Zoanthrope Rangers bit either! And the sleepover fic is off to a good start, so be sure to continue that soon, all right? Peace.

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Kenji Ohgami aka Card Writer: Shadow Hearts kicks major arse, hell yeah! =D You better work on your fic, I want to see how you're gonna connect Kenji and Uriko more deeply into the Shadow Hearts storyline. Whose roles are they going to be playing in the actual game itself? Inform me right away when you update that great fic of yours!!

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Kitty girl: You're the best, girl! I love your e-mails; let's keep exchanging them, I'd like to hear more about how you spend your days in your new school, and I'll tell you about my own college experience, agreed? =) Let's not lose contact with each other anytime soon, 'cause our friendship is too good to go to waste, mi amiga.

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Me: This is a really good alias to go under, LoL! I would take that one, but I like my Tiger penname too much. ^_~ Well, thank you for your nice reviews, adored the length and your feedback was always something that made me smile. =) Savor the BR pride!

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Person with many aliases: You are famous for writing the reviews that make me laugh the most! *big grin* Maybe you should consider writing some BR humor fics, eh? =D Haha, we never know what alias you will use next to review an author's writing piece, so keep making us guess, and be sure to continue reading my future fics! ^_~

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Phoebz: Hey, where have ya been lately, girl? Maybe you'll be able to catch up on what you've missed whenever you find free time to return to FanFiction.Net, and take a look at this story of mine. Keep in touch with me; you know my e-mail address.

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Purinpuff: The genius behind Midnight Mole, bravo, my fellow author. Don't fall into the trap of Croniko though, or else you shall devastate my tender heart! *sighs dramatically* Hehe, anyway, keep up the excellent work on your fic, girl. I can't wait to see how you plan to get Uriko together with Kenji after she was diseased by Cronos' putrid, slimy lips. *GAGGAG* Good luck to ya!

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Ramza Lionheart: Where are the next chapters of Alice in Zoanthropeland?? Get to work! We readers crave more chapters! *gurgle, foams at mouth from impatience* Hurry, or else we shall wither away from the long wait… hehehe… See? Someone cares, and that's me. I want to see more, so now that you know, get writing quickly, mister! Inform me of your updates via e-mail!

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RAYClovis: Ah, the boy with the numerous ideas, hehe. I miss our long AIM talks, and hope that you will be allowed back on your computer soon, because I can't wait to see the updates on your stories! Kiss up to your parents if you have to; I'll be waiting for you to send me an IM when you come back.

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You may now breathe your sighs of relief, because yes, this is the end of the credits! Haha, sorry for making this drag on so long, but I really wanted to show how much I appreciated all of your reviews and compliments, dear readers, so thank you for being patient with me. I love you all, and have a great life - don't forget to read my future Bloody Roar works; long live the Keniko fandom!!

With love for my fans,

Tiger5913


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